The most ESSENTIAL Football Manager attributes every player should prioritise

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Breaking down Football Manager’s attributes

Acceleration/Pace

Determination

Work rate

Decisions/Composure

Final thoughts

When playing through a match of Football Manager 2024, or any previous game, you’ll always be keeping your eyes on the attributes of your players. Whether you’re picking through lists of underrated wonderkids or nabbing the best goalkeepers, you’ll want to make sure your team consists of players with the best attributes possible.

Obviously, the best attributes for a Football Manager player always depends on their individual position. If you’re a goalkeeper, then reflexes are going to be far more important than finishing – you don’t have to be Albert Einstein to figure that one out. However, no matter what position you’re scouting for, not all attributes are created equal. Some are just plain better—whether it’s for logical reasons or because they align with the current Football Manager meta.

Breaking down Football Manager’s attributes

To save you the rigmarole of trial and error (and the pain of watching a player flop), I’ve put together a list of the most crucial attributes, not including the game’s Hidden Attributes we touched on yesterday. Focus on these, and you’ll find players who will shine for you right out of the gate.

Before we dive in, let’s clear something up. When I talk about attributes, I’m referring to the specific aspects of a player’s ability rated out of 20. You might be tempted to call these “stats.” Well, stop that RIGHT NOW. I’ve been guilty of this myself in the past, but let’s get it straight—they’re always, always called “ATTRIBUTES.”

Now that we’ve established that crucial fact, let’s crack on with the list.

Football Manager ATTRIBUTES, not stats – Neymar

Acceleration/Pace

No conversation about Football Manager’s most important attributes can begin without discussing acceleration and pace. Last year, Zealand dropped a bombshell video proving just how overpowered these attributes are. He assembled a Nottingham Forest squad with players statistically below Premier League standard but boasting high acceleration and pace.

The results? Mid-table finishes (12th and 11th) over two simulations, and under another manager, the same squad even secured 4th place. This demonstrated how Football Manager’s match engine disproportionately values speed over overall ability.

Of course, this raises balance questions, but that’s a rant for another time. For now, speed reigns supreme in the meta, so prioritize it when scouting. While it’s true that pace is critical in real-life football—especially in the physical, fast-paced Premier League—Football Manager, like FIFA over the years, might have taken things a bit too far.

Determination

Ah, determination—my favorite attribute. It’s the attribute on which all other attributes depend. It doesn’t matter how promising a wonderkid looks at 16 — if their determination is low, they’re automatically a worse prospect. Think of it this way: their determination determines how likely they are to reach their full potential.

A five-star potential wonderkid with 18 determination? They’re a surefire success (unless you break their legs or inexplicably retrain them as a goalkeeper). On the flip side, a player with five-star potential but just 5 determination? They’ll probably end up hitting the lower end of their potential range.

Unlike acceleration and pace, this one makes complete sense. In real life, someone like Cristiano Ronaldo exceeded every expectation because of his off-the-charts determination. Meanwhile, plenty of players (who shall remain nameless) have failed to reach their potential due to a lack of drive.

Work rate

There’s something magical about players with high work rate. Even if their other attributes are mediocre, they just seem to hit different.

We’ve all had that one two-and-a-half-star winger who somehow outperforms the four-star, £50 million marquee signing. Nine times out of ten, it’s because the cheaper player has a higher work rate. It transforms squad fillers into cult heroes.

This is another attribute that mirrors real life. Think back to PSG’s star-studded attack of Messi, Neymar, and Mbappé, which never delivered the Champions League trophy. Why? A lack of work rate (among other reasons). Now compare that to Klopp’s original Liverpool midfield—an engine room of relentless workhorses. In both real life and Football Manager, work rate can be the difference between glory and disappointment.

Decisions/Composure

This one is massive, especially for attacking players. Bad decision-making can nullify even the best technical attributes. As the wise Mahatma Gandhi once said (or was it someone on Reddit?): “It doesn’t matter if you’ve got 20 passing if you’re going to play the wrong pass every time.”

The same logic applies to composure. Picture this: your striker is through on goal, but instead of calmly squaring the ball to a teammate in acres of space, they blast it into the side netting. Frustrating, right? Check their decision-making and composure stats—they’ll probably be the culprits.

Final thoughts

Outside of these four attributes, the most important ones depend on the position you’re scouting for. Use the in-game scouting filters to highlight the key attributes for each role, and you’ll quickly see who stands out.

But remember: if you focus on acceleration/pace, determination, work rate, and decisions/composure, you’re already ahead of the game. Happy managing—and may your wonderkids always hit their five-star potential!

About the Author

William is the admin of Out of Context Football Manager, an X account that focuses on FM news. He's worked for LADbible Group and is VG's resident FM expert.