The Football Manager series is enjoying a relatively uncontested spell as the sport's premier management sim, following franchises like FIFA Manager and LMA Manager being discontinued. Sports Interactive hasn't been resting on their laurels with the lack of competition, as Football Manager 21 was well-received by fans and critics, exemplified by its 85 Metascore, which is impressive for a modern sports game.
As is always the case with the PC iteration of the game, there are numerous mods available to download. To help people out who want to try some of the mods but are unsure where to start, here are some of the best options available.
Updated October 14, 2021, by Jack Pursey: The next entry in the Football Manager series, Football Manager 2022, is due to release next month. However, as any Football Manager fan knows, not all players will be making an instant leap to the next game. Many players opt to only buy FM entries sporadically, while others get too engrossed in a save file and are happy to stick with it for years to come.
So, for those who want to save their money and stick with Football Manager 21, we've updated this list to add a few new entries.
15 Attacking 4-2-3-1 - Quicksta Gegenpress V2.0
As many people ascertained early on in their Football Manager 21 career, gegenpress tactics are rather overpowered - so much so that Football Manager 22 has made significant changes to the pressing system to ensure that gegenpressing is more balanced.
For those sticking with Football Manager 21, Quicksta's 4-2-3-1 gegenpressing mod offers an excellent way to exploit the overpowered tactic.
14 Counter Attacking 3412 for Underdogs
Although the aforementioned gegenpressing tactic is indeed overpowered, it certainly doesn't guarantee success. This is particularly the case for weaker teams going into a match as the underdog, as they could be picked apart and annihilated by stronger sides.
Therefore, players with weaker teams should consider Rosler71's Counter Attacking 3412 for Underdogs, as it offers a defensively stable unit that can be devastating on the counter.
13 Mike's Best Ever Training Schedule v2
The Football Manager series' training feature enjoyed an excellent overhaul in the 2019 iteration of the game, with tweaks being made in the two most recent entries. The overhaul was great news to fans of the series, who had been hoping for more in-depth training features to give them better control over their players' development.
Although the increased complexity was welcome, it has made it too complicated for some people. Thankfully, there are mods that can provide players with a tried and tested schedule, and Mike's Best Ever Training Schedule v2 is one of the best.
12 Technique - Youth Training Schedule (Ajax TIPS MODEL)
Another excellent training schedule is Technique - Youth Training Schedule (Ajax TIPS MODEL) by Passion4FM. As the name suggests, the mod takes inspiration from Ajax's real-life routines. Ajax certainly isn't a bad place to take inspiration from, as their academy has produced an incredible array of talent in recent years, including Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek.
Moreover, the team has produced legends of the game in the past, such as Johann Cruyff, Clarence Seedorf, and Edwin van der Sar.
11 FM 2021 FLUT skin dark - Version 16.0
For a game that predominantly requires players to look at data and statistics, it's safe to say that presentation is very important to Football Manager players. The default presentation is, of course, very well put together - though Flut's skin provides an excellent alternative. Like any skin, personal preference plays a big part in which mod is the best, though Flut's Football Manager 21 skin is certainly one of the best.
10 Best Free Transfers - Over 500 Players!
Finding talented players for the grand price of nothing can be one of the most rewarding aspects of the Football Manager series. However, as the series' player base continues to grow, narrowing down the best players can be a nightmare. Thankfully, JamieKingFM has a handy guide to help players out. The mod will highlight over 500 players into an easy-to-understand shortlist, helping managers find their next budget purchase.
Along with JamieKingFM's shortlist, WorkTheSpace also has a handy shortlist available on Steam.
9 WorkTheSpace's Best Wonderkids - Complete Collection
Speaking of WorkTheSpace, their shortlist of the game's best wonderkids is a great mod for finding some of Football Manager 21's best young talents. Much like securing talented free agents, obtained talented youngsters can be incredibly rewarding, especially when helping the player develop and reaping the rewards as they either lead the team to new heights or secure a huge transfer fee in the future.
Moreover, those who are willing to invest in youth are likely to see significant financial success in the long term thanks to them not having to continuously purchase expensive players in their prime to stay competitive.
8 Championship Manager 2003-04 FM21 Database
Before teaming up with Sega to create Football Manager 2005, Sports Interactive was working its magic on the Championship Manager series with Eidos Interactive. The 03/04 iteration of the game was one of the most memorable, which is why the mod Championship Manager 2003-04 FM21 Database is so great.
As well as featuring legendary players like Paul Scholes, Ronaldinho, and Paolo Maldini, the mod features one of the most infamous players that Sports Interactive ever implemented, Freddy Adu. The young American had incredibly high stats for such a young age, making people believe that he would one day be one of the world's best players. Unfortunately, Adu is yet to reach anywhere near those heights.
7 Football Manager 2021 Real Names Licence Fix
One of the most frustrating elements of the Football Manager series is its lack of licensing. Like the Pro Evolution Soccer series, now known as eFootball, the Football Manager games lack a ton of licensing throughout many leagues. This lack of official licensing affects some teams, stadiums, competitions, and trophies.
The Football Manager 2021 Real Names Licence Fix by pr0 does exactly what it says on the tin, replacing a plethora of fake names with the correct ones.
6 Pep's Barcelona
Pep Guardiola's Barcelona is considered one of the greatest teams in the entire history of the sport. The team featured an incredibly talented squad, led by all-time greats like Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Carles Puyol.
Boroboy116 has brought the legendary side back in Football Manager 21 thanks to their Peps Barcelona mod that will help even the most inexperienced Football Manager player to enjoy significant success.