Is This FM20 Best wonderkid Starting to Live Up to the Hype?

TOPICS:
Is This FM20 Best wonderkid Starting to Live Up to the Hype?

Posted By: Daniel Igamah September 21, 2024

Post Views: 240

Four years ago, OG Nice forward Youssoufa Moukoko was hailed as the best wonderkid in Football Manager history—when FM20 was released.

In FM20, the Borussia Dortmund youngster was an absolute sensation at just 15 years old, Footballrover reports.

Fans of the game marveled at his rapid development—by the time Moukoko turned 18, he was a fully polished gem, winning matches single-handedly.

Is This FM20 Best wonderkid Starting to Live Up to the Hype?

His lethal finishing, coupled with an uncanny ability to score from anywhere in the box, made him a game-changer.

Moukoko had a deadly left foot that struck fear into defences, and his incredible knack for scoring outrageous goals cemented him as one of the greatest virtual talents ever to grace the Football Manager series.

Fast forward to 2024, and real-life football managers, much like Football Manager players, had high hopes for Moukoko.

Many expected him to flourish, becoming a global star—just like Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who now holds the coveted title of best wonderkid in FM24.

However, Moukoko’s journey didn’t unfold quite as expected.

The Borussia Dortmund wonderkid struggled to live up to the sky-high expectations.

In the summer of 2024, he was sent out on loan to French side OGC Nice for the 2024/25 season, with the Bundesliga giants seemingly losing patience.

Nice secured the option to make the move permanent by June 2025, but the question remained: would Moukoko finally thrive in the French Ligue 1?

On a Friday evening, Moukoko provided a glimpse of the brilliance that once made him Football Manager’s golden boy.

He bagged a first-half brace and added an assist to inspire Nice to an emphatic 8-0 victory over St-Étienne at the Allianz Riviera.

The match was a one-sided affair, with six of Nice’s goals coming in the first half.

Moukoko was central to the destruction, finding the net twice and assisting the fifth goal before being substituted after 62 minutes.

This performance marked a breakthrough for Moukoko, who had only made two appearances for Nice thus far.

His brilliance in that match helped the team secure just their second victory of the season, lifting them temporarily to fifth in the Ligue 1 standings with eight points.

Nice’s campaign had been a mixed bag. They opened with a 2-1 loss to Auxerre, followed by a 1-1 draw with Toulouse.

A 4-1 win away at Angers provided some hope, but a crushing 2-0 defeat to Marseille saw Nice stumble again. However, their demolition of St-Étienne was a statement of intent.

The match started with an own-goal from Dylan Batubinsika, before Tanguy Ndombele made it 2-0.

Mohamed-Ali Cho added a third before Moukoko scored his first goal of the night, extending the lead to 4-0.

Evann Guessand netted the fifth, and Moukoko quickly followed with his second to make it 6-0 at halftime.

Sofiane Diop and Pablo Rosario completed the rout with second-half strikes.

Despite the massive win, Nice’s position in the table is far from secure, with tougher challenges on the horizon.

Next up, they face Lens, but before that, they’ll host Real Sociedad in the Europa League—a critical match for Moukoko to prove he can deliver on the big stage.

Will the former Football Manager best wonderkid finally live up to his virtual hype in real life? Only time will tell.

Like this post?
We’d be delighted to hear from you. Please leave a comment in the box below!

About the Author

Daniel Igamah
A sports Lover, who's learning how to create better stories for readers

Related Articles

Be the first to comment on "Is This FM20 Best wonderkid Starting to Live Up to the Hype?"

Leave a comment