The teams in Football Manager you just can't manage

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PSG

MK Dons

Manchester United

RB Salzburg

Marseille

In Football Manager, almost any club is fair game. Want to lead a second-tier Slovakian team or explore the football scene in Hong Kong? Go for it. But a handful of clubs are just plain off-limits. Sure, you can manage them—but doing so is practically a cardinal sin. Once people find out, they’ll start giving you side-eyes in the street. If you don’t want to become your community’s shame, here’s a quick guide to the clubs you absolutely need to avoid managing.

The teams in Football Manager you just can't manage: PSG team info in FM 24. — PSG in Football Manager. Captured by VideoGamer

PSG

Let’s start with the big one: Paris Saint-Germain. This club is a universal villain in the Football Manager community, and for good reasons. PSG is notorious for swooping in and stealing your wonderkids. If you’ve scouted a 19-year-old Argentinian with five-star potential, rest assured PSG will show up with a blank check. Then there’s the lack of competition in the French league, which means PSG has decided to ruin everyone else’s FM save, too. More than that, they stand for the opposite of the FM community’s values. We love teams built through grit and clever strategy, not bankrolled by oil-rich, nation-state backing. Also, it’s just too easy managing PSG – you want a challenge in your save.

MK Dons

MK Dons are despised in the UK for their origins. Back in 2004, Wimbledon FC—a beloved South London club—was controversially relocated to Milton Keynes and rebranded as MK Dons. This broke the club’s local roots, making it feel more like a ‘franchise’ than a true community team. Many fans fear it set a precedent, letting financial interests trump loyalty to local fans. So even if you win the Champions League with MK Dons, don’t expect praise. The satisfaction just won’t be there.

Manchester United

Alright, this one’s personal. As a Leeds fan, I can’t manage Manchester United (well, I did last year, but that’s a whole story). Still, managing United is just… too easy. They might be mid-table in real life, but in FM, their real-world problems disappear, and it’s all league titles on a silver platter. Plus, what’s there to achieve? United have already been England’s kings, won the Champions League, and boast the biggest stadium. They peaked in 2010. What’s left to prove?

RB Salzburg

This one’s personal, too. If you’ve followed my FM saves, you know RB Salzburg is my nemesis. They crushed my title hopes in Austria more than once—like when they clawed back from 10 points behind to snatch the league on the final day. Also, like MK Dons, they’re the definition of a ‘franchise’ team, their money overshadowing all the things football purists love. Dominant to a fault, they’re a team that’s impossible not to hate.

Marseille

They signed Mason Greenwood and Elye Wahi. Case closed.

Honourable shoutouts to Lazio, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Getafe, and others that barely missed the cut. Which clubs would you never manage in Football Manager? Also, if you’re now at a loss for what team to manage now – here are some saves that ARE acceptable.

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.