We are back with our rewind to FM18, a game we have talked about quite a bit recently due to our admiration for that particular edition of the game.
In our latest article delving into FM18, we look at the most promising young forwards, with some of the world’s current superstars on our list.
Vinicius Junior (Flamengo)
In this particular edition of the game, Vinicius Junior starts the game as a 16-year-old wonderkid at his first professional club, Flamengo. His potential was massive, while his starting stats weren’t bad either.
Incredibly, he is valued at just £2m, although he usually cost around £6m to sign. Unfortunately, the winger’s potential had already been noticed by Spanish giants Real Madrid, who had already arranged a £50m future fee for the youngster.
In real life, questions were asked about Los Blancos paying such a hefty fee for a teenager. However, it proved to be money well spent, as the winger has gone on to become one of the best wingers in the world.
During his time in the Spanish capital, he has helped the Spanish giants win three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles, among other trophies.
Kylian Mbappe (Monaco, but on loan at PSG)
Just like Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe was just a youngster in FM18. Although he was contracted to Monaco, he was on loan to PSG, with a permanent deal already in place.
In FM18, Mbappe is already a star in the game, despite being only 18 years old. In fact, he was regarded as one of the best young players in the game.
In the game, he fulfilled his potential, becoming one of the world’s best players. He also fulfilled his potential in real life, helping France to the World Cup in 2018.
The forward also helped PSG win Ligue 1 on six occasions before moving to Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 to play alongside Vinicius Junior. Things haven’t quite gone to plan yet in the Spanish capital, but there is still time for Mbappe to become a star in Madrid.
Patrick Cutrone (Milan)
In FM18, the 19-year-old striker was one of the most highly-rated young forwards in the world. He had the world at his feet. His starting stats were strong, and he also showed big potential.
Although valued at £6m, he was hard to sign, and the minimum fee that he was available for was £16m. However, for the fee, he generally went on to become a world-class player who would score a bag full of goals wherever he played.
In real life, Cutrone hasn’t lived up to his FM18 potential. He has become something of a journeyman, having left Milan to play for Wolves, Fiorentina, Valencia, and Empoli.
He joined his current club, Como, in 2022, where his scoring record isn’t terrible, having scored 31 goals in 102 appearances in all competitions. However, his first season at Como was spent in Serie B.
Pietro Pellegri (Genoa)
Like compatriot Cutrone, Pellegri was a highly-rated young prospect in FM18. However, Pellegri was even younger than the Milan star, starting the game at the tender age of just 16.
He may be valued at £6m by his club, Genoa, but he could have cost as much as £20m; he is rated that highly. For a player of his age, his stats were impressive, and they only get better with experience to the point where he is vying with Cutrone for the title of best out-and-out striker in the world.
Like so many FM wonderkids, Pellegri has struggled to reach his potential since FM18. He moved to French outfit Monaco in the January 2018 transfer window.
The striker made just 23 appearances for Monaco, scoring two goals. During his time in the principality, he had loan spells at Milan and Torino. He joined the latter permanently in 2022.
In two seasons with Il Granata, he scored just six goals in 55 games across all competitions. The forward spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Empoli, where he made a decent start, scoring three goals in his first 12 games and producing some promising displays.
Unfortunately, in December of 2024, Pellegri ruptured his ACL, ruling him out for the rest of the season. At 24, the striker still has time on his side to make.
However, ACL injuries can significantly impact players’ future careers, and some players may never fully recover. Pellegri is due to return to training in August and hopefully he can get back to full fitness and fulfil his potential.
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