Football Manager 26 is preparing to launch, ending a two-year wait for the latest batch of striker wonderkids. The beta arrives on October 23 and the full release follows on November 4 across all major platforms.
Sports Interactive have rebuilt the game with a new Unity engine, redesigned the tactics screen, and a fully licensed 2026 World Cup.
Every version brings a new generation of prodigies. This one looks loaded with young attacking talent.
Here are 10 Football Manager 26 striker wonderkids worth knowing before you start your save.
Francesco Camarda (17, AC Milan)
Camarda became the youngest player in Serie A history when he debuted for Milan at 15 years and 260 days in 2023.
He’s now on loan at Lecce, where he scored his first Serie A goal this season at 17 years and 202 days. Another record.
A prolific scorer through Milan’s ranks, he’s hit over 480 academy goals. He also won the U17 Euros with Italy and was named Player of the Tournament.
Amara Diouf (17, Fenerbahce)
Diouf became Senegal’s youngest-ever international when he debuted at 15 years and 94 days in a 1-1 draw with Rwanda.
He rose to fame at the 2023 U17 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring five goals and winning the Golden Boot.
Fenerbahce signed him from Génération Foot in 2025 after he was dubbed “Sadio Mané’s heir.” The two-footed speedster can play anywhere across the front line.
Toni Fernandez (17, Barcelona)
Fernandez joined Barcelona’s academy from Espanyol in 2018 and climbed rapidly through the ranks.
He made his senior debut in January 2025 at just 16 years and 173 days. That made him Barca’s second-youngest player of the century behind Lamine Yamal.
A left-footed forward who can play wide or centrally, he’s quick and technical. Surely one of Spain’s most exciting Football Manager striker wonderkids.
Chido Obi-Martin (17, Manchester United)
Born in Copenhagen to Nigerian parents, Obi-Martin joined Arsenal aged 14 and quickly became a youth-level sensation.
He made headlines in 2023 by scoring ten goals against Liverpool’s U16s and seven more versus Norwich a few months later.
Now at United, he became the club’s youngest Premier League starter at 17 years and 156 days.
He’s arguably less of a gamble than most teenagers. Powerful, clinical, and already close to senior level.
Jose Reyes (18, Real Madrid)
The son of the late Jose Antonio Reyes, he joined Real Madrid’s academy from Leganes in 2019 after his father’s passing.
He made headlines by scoring on his Juvenil B debut and later hit four in the La Liga Promises final against Sevilla. That run earned him the Golden Boot.
Now part of Alvaro Arbeloa’s youth setup, Reyes is a sharp, technical forward. He’s already represented Spain at U15, U16, and U17 levels.
Patrik Kristal (17, FC Koln)
Kristal became the youngest player in Estonian top-flight history when he debuted for Levadia Tallinn at just 14 years and 11 months.
He joined FC Köln in 2025 and now features for their reserve side in Germany’s Regionalliga.
Already capped by Estonia, Kristal is a creative forward who can play behind the striker or up front.
Harry Gray (16, Leeds United)
The fifth member of the Gray family to represent Leeds, Harry made his senior debut in April 2025, aged just 16.
He came through the club’s academy like his brother Archie. He also scored in Leeds’ U21 National League Cup final win that same month.
A lively forward with good movement and finishing instincts, Gray has already featured for England’s U17s.
Mohamed Kader Meite (18, Rennes)
Standing at 1.92m, Meite combines size, pace, and power. Those traits have already made him a regular in Ligue 1 with Rennes.
He signed his first professional deal in 2024 and scored three times in his debut season. He had risen through five Paris academies before joining Rennes.
Of Ivorian descent, he’s now part of France’s U21 setup. A modern target man, strong in the air and confident on the ball.
Mason Melia (18, St Patrick’s Athletic)
Melia became the youngest scorer in League of Ireland history when he netted for St Patrick’s Athletic at just 15 years old.
He’s since added 20 league goals and was named PFAI Young Player of the Year. A move to Tottenham is confirmed for January 2026.
A quick, intelligent striker with a natural eye for goal, Melia has already broken records at home. He looks ready to take that momentum to the Premier League.
Enzo Alves (16, Real Madrid)
The son of Brazilian legend Marcelo, Enzo Alves, has been part of Real Madrid’s academy since 2017. He already carries a serious reputation.
He scored 105 goals in his first 100 youth matches and once hit a 20-minute hat-trick against Atlético Madrid at U14 level.
Eligible for both Brazil and Spain, he chose Spain in 2023 and debuted for their U15s.
A clinical finisher with all the traits to follow in his father’s footsteps at the Bernabéu.
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