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South America: The Football Manager 2020 Club Guide 🌎 feat. @VincentGuzman_ #FM20

***Please Note*** An updated series of guides about South America have been released for Football Manager 2021. Please visit:

  1. League

  2. Club


Hi, this time we’re back in South America to recommend clubs from the six out-of-the-box leagues in Football Manager 2020: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru & Uruguay. To undertake this task, I am joined by Football Scout Vincent (@VincentGuzman_). For each country, Vincent will recommend three clubs based on how hard we envisage them as a challenge (Hard, Medium & Easy) on Football Manager 2020.

This post is a sequel to the league guide I previously put together (part one here). The idea is that these two posts complement one another to form a comprehensive guide for people who are unsure or unfamiliar with South American saves. If you like this post, or think it will be useful to others, please exercise your right to share via the link at the bottom of this page. Thanks in advance for reading.


Argentina

Hard – Newell’s Old Boys

(1) Background & Expectation

Just like many clubs in Argentina, Newell’s have UK heritage as they were founded by the England-born Isaac Newell. But if you mention history and Newell’s Old Boys there’s only one man to be named: Marcelo Bielsa. The current Leeds United coach has a bright history at the club both as a player and as a manager, with Newell’s never reaching the heights they reached with ‘El Loco’ in control. It has gone a lot worse in recent years and Newell’s will find themselves in a big relegation scrap in your first season in charge. Incidentally, the other Rosario-based team, Rosario Central, will be in the same boat as they are also threatened by relegation. You won’t survive long if this relegation scrap doesn’t go the right way… But don’t worry, you’ve got a great academy who have produced the likes of Gabriel Batistuta, Walter Samuel, Gabriel Heinze and of course Lionel Messi, to rely on. Talking about the latter... He has openly spoken about a return to the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa, can you make it happen whilst returning to the glory days under Marcelo Bielsa?

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Play attacking football.

  • Predicted to finish 10th.

(3) Key Players: Maxí Rodriguez, Alan Aguerre & Cristian Lema.

(4) Young Talents: Jerónimo Cacciabue, Aníbal Moreno & Juan Sforza.

Medium – San Lorenzo

(1) Background & Expectation

One of the big five in Argentina, San Lorenzo are a team with high expectations. They’ve, however, gone downhill after they won the prestigious Copa Libertadores back in 2014. The 2018 season is a season no ‘Ciclon’ fan would like to look back to. They finished in 23rd place with just 3 wins in all of their games. Their manager Jorge Almirón managed to sign an abundance of mediocre players. Most have left, some of them are still there. But most importantly: San Lorenzo have strengthened a lot during this transfer window. If you can get things going from the start, you’ll have a very solid foundation to build on to bring the club back to the pinnacle of South American football. There will be an incredible fan-base to back you up. They have one of the most creative ‘banderas’ who have produced songs that are being sung on the terraces from Buenos Aires to Bangkok. A great blend of experience, talent and an incredible fan base. What more could you ask for?

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Predicted to finish 5th.

(3) Key Players: Fernando Belluschi, Ángel Romero, Fabricio Coloccini.

(4) Young Talents: Adolfo Gaich, Nahuel Barrios, Matías Palacios. 

Easy – Vélez Sarsfield

(1) Background & Expectation

If you are looking for a club where you can include youth players into your main squad you should look no further than Vélez Sarsfield. Vélez have one of the best and well-known academies in Argentina and have plenty of players who have played across the continent or overseas in Europe. One of the most sought-after youngsters in the world of football is Thiago Almada and he happens to be a Vélez player. He’s technically gifted and with big clubs such as Manchester City already taking a keen interest in him, you’ll have to try your best to keep him as long as possible in Buenos Aires. Wearing Vélez’s iconic white and blue kits, you’ll be able to play your games in the fantastic ‘José Amalfitani’ stadium which holds just under 50,000 spectators. Vélez are one of the 7 Argentine teams to have won the Copa Libertadores (1994). There’s less pressure for immediate success and combine that with some fantastic youth prospects and you may have the perfect recipe for a long-term save where you can aim to relive their success from 1994.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Play attacking football.

  • Predicted to finish 8th.

(3) Key players: Nicolás Dominguez (loan from Bologna), Lucas Robertone, Fernando Gago.

(4) Young Talents: Thiago Almada, Álvaro Barreal, Maximiliano Romero (loan from PSV).


Brazil

Hard – EC Bahia

(1) Background & Expectation

Most of the pinnacle of Brazilian football is geographically speaking located in the south of the country. With Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Porto-Alegre delivering some of the best teams in the country. The doze grandes are the 12 biggest and most successful teams in Brazil and all come from one of these cities. Slightly further up north however lays the city of Salvador which is host to Esporte Clube Bahia. A side that has won two Brasileirão titles but has spent most of their recent years outside of the top 11 and are considered to be the ‘13th’ team of Brazil. Salvador is the 4th most populated city in Brazil and with a brand new 48,000 capacity stadium, you’ll be able to count on a loyal fan base. Dani Alves is Bahia’s biggest youth prospect and whilst he’s currently playing for Sao Paulo it may be good enough of a reason to bring him back home. One player that has joined his boyhood club this summer is Fernandão. The somewhat lanky target man made furore in Turkey and will be a key asset to your attack. Can you beat the south and return Bahia to the top of Brazilian football?

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Predicted to finish 14th.

(3) Key Players: Fernandão, Gilberto, Nino Paraíba.

(4) Young Talents: Artur (loan from Palmeiras), Flavio.

Medium – Vasco da Gama 

(1) Background & Expectation

Named after the Portuguese explorer, Vasco are part of the aforementioned doze grandes. They have won the Brasileirão 4 times whilst winning the Copa Libertadores once (1998). They have however only participated 4 times since then in the equivalent of the European Champions League and finished just above the relegation zone in 2018. A big club but financial issues and some poor management has seen the club decline over the last decade. They even spent some time in the Serie B in 13/14 and 15/16 but are now back at the highest level. Whilst they are not as known for their youth players as the likes of Sao Paulo and Santos, Vasco have a history of producing talented players. The most recent example being Paulinho, who made a multi-million move to Bayer Leverkusen. What makes Vasco an interesting pick is that next to their stature, they possess two incredibly talented Brazilian forwards in Marrony (1999) and Talles Magno (2002). These players can become key figures and will surely net you a hefty sum, which will be happily received by the Vasco board. You may have to avoid a relegation scrap at first but there’s a good base to build on over at Vasco.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Predicted to finish 12th.

(3) Key Players: Yago Pikachu, Leandro Castán, Rossi.

(4) Young Talents: Marrony, Talles Magno, Tiago Reis.

Easy – Flamengo

(1) Background & Expectation

With over 32 million fans, Flamengo are one of the wealthiest and biggest club on the South American continent. A record 35 Campeonato Carioca (state championship) titles, 5 Brasileirao titles and 1 Copa Libertadores title are present in FLA’s trophy cabinet. A great mixture of experience and talent at the club will give you the power to challenge for all possible titles from the get-go. Gabriel Barbosa who flopped at Inter Milan has found his goalscoring boots and guarantees goals. You’ve got the experienced Diego and Uruguayan international Giorgian De Arrascaeta to feed him whilst having serious pace out wide. Filipe Luis has joined the club from Atletico Madrid on a free to lead the backline and you have the most promising wonderkid in the entirety of South America: Reinier. The 17-year old has all the assets to reach the absolute pinnacle but it will be up you to get the most out of him. Will you start him early on and shift Diego and/or de Arrascaeta out wide or will you closely monitor him in Football Manager’s 2020 new Development Centre?

If you’re not happy with any of the positions you will have a decent amount of money to invest. All in all, Flamengo are the perfect club if you want to win trophies whilst trying something slightly out of your comfort zone.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign high-reputation players.

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Predicted to finish 1st.

(3) Key Players: Gabriel Barbosa (loan from Inter), Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Diego Alves.

(4) Young Talents: Reinier, Lincoln & Yuri Oliveira.


Chile

Hard - CD Cobresal

(1) Background & Expectation

Located at 2,600m above sea level in the city of El Salvador, Cobresal are a unique team in every single sense of the word. El Salvador is a tiny village in the Atacama Desert which originated from the mines in and around the village. At the moment of writing, El Salvador has a population of roughly 7,000 inhabitants. Quite special that a club from such a small village plays their trade at the top level, isn’t it? What makes it even more special is that their stadium has had over 21,000 spectators at its peak. That’s 3x times the population of its entire city! With 1 title and 1 cup win, Cobresal are one of the most successful sides in the North of Chile. Admittedly, their rivals Cobreloa who stem from the same region and have a similar background, have been more successful and have generally been able to attract larger crowds. They have reached the Copa Libertadores final back-to-back in 1981 & 1982 and have 7 league titles. But the truth is that Cobreloa are still stuck in the second division meaning that the Clásico del Cobre won’t take place for a while unless you meet in the cup. There doesn’t seem to be a better time to take charge of Cobresal. You should be able to win enough games at home too. It’s unlikely that Europe’s toughest grounds can match the dryness of the Atacama Desert whilst playing at 2,600m above sea level. The training facilities are below average, there’s not a lot of money and there are barely any standout youngsters from the start. One of the hardest challenges in this guide.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign players under the age of 23 for the first team.

  • Do not sign players over the age of 30.

  • Predicted to finish 16th.

(3) Key Players: Israel Poblete, Marcelo Jorquera & Rodrigo Cabrera.

(4) Young Talents: Pablo Cárdenas

Medium – CD O’Higgins

(1) Background & Expectation

A lovely little throwback to Irish heritage here, as O’Higgins was named after Bernardo O’Higgins…a descent of the noble Irish Family. Unlike Colo Colo (more on them below), O’Higgins are by no means one of the title contenders but usually finish in mid-table instead. What makes them exciting is that, next to their relatively high-quality facilities, that there are some very talented players coming through. Matías Sepulveda and Tomás Alarcón especially have been great for Chile’s U20 side and are making regular minutes for O’Higgins domestically. David Salazar is another player worth keeping an eye on. Any Chelsea fans may remember the name of Cristián Cuevas. The now 24-year old fullback joined The Blues at the tender age of 18 after impressing in Chile’s youth ranks. He has, like many others at Chelsea, spent his last few seasons on loan at various places throughout Europe. At 24 he will still have a lot to offer to your O’Higgins side and he should be the first player on your shortlist in an attempt to bring him home to his boyhood club. Located just south of Chilean capital Santiago, O’Higgins have a healthy base to build on. Can you take them to the top of Chilean and eventually South American football?

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • No starting Club Culture.

  • Predicted to finish 10th.

(3) Key Players: Facundo Castro (Loan from Necaxa), Paulo Magalhaes & Ramón Fernández.

(4) Young Talents: Tomás Alarcón, Matías Sepúlveda & David Salazar.

Easy – Colo Colo

(1) Background & Expectation

You may have heard of them or recognised their badge but Colo Colo are a big name in the world of South American football. With 32 league titles and even 1 Copa Libertadores title to their name, Colo Colo are the most successful team in Chile. Some poor management has hindered the club’s progression in the last few years with early exits in the Copa Libertadores as a consequence. It’s a big deal for everyone at the club involved and something that needs to change…and it needs to change soon. You’ll have club icon Esteban Paredes to lead the line. At 39 years old he’s the all-time top scorer of the Chilean league with over 200 goals, whilst netting a total of 357 goals throughout his career. I can assure you that there would be no better thing in life for the Colo Colo fans than Paredes lifting that famous Libertadores trophy. You better be quick… Colo Colo could do with a big overhaul in their squad but one player that’s able to feed Esteban Paredes is Jorge Valdivia. He’s as technically gifted as South American ‘10s’ get but refuses to defend at the same time. It will be a great challenge to link a pure Enganche with the veteran Paredes up top but you can count on some magic if you make it work.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign high-reputation players.

  • Play attacking football.

  • Predicted to finish 1st.

(3) Key Players: Esteban Paredes, Jorge Valdivia & Oscar Opazo.

(4) Young Talents: Gabriel Suazo, Ivan Morales & Williams Alarcon. 


Colombia

Hard – Atlético Bucaramanga

(1) Background & Expectation

In the northeast of Colombia lays the city of Bucaramanga. Atlético Bucaramanga aren’t known for their domestic or continental success and they don’t have an incredible youth academy like Envigado. Instead, they’ve got a player who was a must-buy in earlier editions of Football Manager. I’m talking about Sherman Cárdenas. His career may not have gone as it has in many of your FM saves but he’s still a very good player for the Colombian league. At 30 years old, you’ll still be able to get a good few years out of him. With a newly renovated stadium and an up-and-coming city with the lowest unemployment rate, Bucaramanga may be the perfect choice if you want to truly build a club from scratch. You won’t have much to spend and you won’t be able to rely on state-of-the-art facilities. There’ll be pressure on your shoulders from the start but who knows what can happen with Sherman Cárdenas at the heart of your team.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign players under the age of 23 for the first team.

  • Predicted to finish 9th.

(3) Key Players: Sherman Cárdenas & Jean Paul Pineda.

(4) Young Talents: Carlos Ibarguën.

Medium - Independiente Santa Fe

(1) Background & Expectation

Whilst Colombian football is usually linked with a game full of flair, trickery and skills, there’s a club within Colombia on the opposite polar of those attractiveness charts. Santa Fe are based in the capital Bogotá and are known for grinding out results in a not-so spectacular way. The 1-0 scoreline is more than common for El Cardenal. They share their stadium with their archenemies Millonarios but El Campin provides more than 40,000 seats with an incredible backdrop over Bogotá. Santa Fe were the first Colombian side ever to win the Copa Sudamericana but their domestic success has been limited despite a few Apertura/Clausura titles. Can you take them to the top of Colombian football in the most ‘Santa Fe way’? You may have to incorporate some young faces since there’s certainly no lack of experience in Santa Fe’s squad.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign players under the age of 23 for the first team.

  • Do not sign players over the age of 30.

  • Predicted to finish 2nd.

(3) Key Players: Leandro Castellanos, Juan Daniel Roa & Jefferson Duque.

(4) Young Talents: Edwin Herrera, Dylan Borrero & José Caicedo.

Easy – Junior

(1) Background & Expectation

Nicknamed Los Tiburones (The Sharks) and based in the always humid Barranquilla, Junior FC are the biggest club in the north of Colombia. The sheer level of quality throughout their squad is stupendous. Experienced Uruguayan stalwart Sebastián Vera is a reliable option and has over 350 caps for Junior. Victor Cantillo is arguably the best defensive midfielder in the league and ahead of him plays the technically gifted Matías Fernández who, on his day, is just a joy to watch. You’ll also have a top striker in your squad in Teófilo Gutiérrez who has spent his career at top clubs in Latin America as well as Sporting Lisbon. If you can keep both him and Matías Fernández fit you’re bound to score goals for fun. Despite their quality,  Junior have never won a continental trophy. It’s obvious where your challenge lays, but can you overcome the riches of Brazil and Argentina before your ageing starlets hang up their boots?

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign players under the age of 23 for the first team.

  • Do not sign players over the age of 30.

  • Predicted to finish 3rd.

(3) Key Players: Victor Cantillo, Matías Fernández & Teófilo Gutiérrez.

(4) Young Talents: Gabriel Fuentes, Luis Sandoval & César Haydar.


Peru

Hard – Club Sport Boys

(1) Background & Expectation

If their club name or their enticing pink kits aren’t enough to convince you, their background surely will. Based in Callao, a seaside city on the Pacific Ocean, Sport Boys are one of the best-supported teams in the country. The now-famous Jorge Sampaoli spent his first job abroad at Juan Aurich (Now in Peru’s Segunda division) before joining Sport Boys where he earned 2.000 dollars a month whilst sleeping in the local fire department. The club’s 75th anniversary was somewhat of a disappointment with Sampaoli’s Sport Boys failing to win any silverware. They have won silverware in the past before Sampaoli’s stint at the club. 6 domestic titles to be precise, which is the 4th best in the country. It has however been over 25 years since Sport Boys last got their hands on silverware with them spending most of the last decade in the second division. They are back at the top level in 2019 but a relegation battle awaits after Sport Boys’ financial restrictions limited them from strengthening the team at all desired positions. Sport Boys are on the rise but there must be a clever manager in charge to continue their upward trend. You’ll need to make profits whilst staying competitive in the Primera División. Have you what it takes to bring Sport Boys back to the top?

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign players under the age of 23 for the first team.

  • Predicted to finish 7th.

(3) Key Players: Reimond Manco, Adán Balbin & Jhon Mondragón.

(4) Young Talents: Pedro García, Sebastián Gonzáles & Pierro Ratto.

Medium – Universidad de San Martin (USMP)

(1) Background & Expectation

If you are looking for a long-term save where you can make the best out of your youth players you should look no further. USMP’s 30-men squad has an average age of 22 years which includes some of the best Peruvian talent available. They are a relatively newly-formed club, being founded in 2004 but they’ve won 3 Primera División titles already in their short existence. It’s a club very much on the rise and this should be a perfect time to take charge of this promising project. They haven’t been as successful outside of Peru as they’ve been domestically but with the right guidance of their promising squad, you should eventually be able to impress the bigger audiences in Argentina and Brazil.

What’s interesting is that USMP have successfully found their way into the African market. Aké Loba being a prime example: The at-the-time 19-year-old striker joined straight from a club in his native Ivory Coast. He then went on to score 18 goals in 32 matches in 2018 and got a big move to Querétaro where he’s showing his skills in the Mexican top flight. Other noteworthy mentions are Koffi Dakoi (now at Tigres, Mexico) and Sunday Afolabi who’s still at the club. It’s unique that African footballers make their way to Latin American football but USMP have been successful in finding diamonds in the rough. Can you follow up on that whilst producing a high number of quality youth players yourself? There is one downside to USMP: They don’t have their own stadium! They play in various stadiums in their hometown Lima and it will be up to you to make enough profit to eventually buy USMP’s own stadium. An incredibly exciting pick if you are looking for a long-term save outside of your comfort-zone.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Do not sign players over the age of 30.

  • Predicted to finish 15th.

(3) Key Players: Jairo Concha, Jordan Guivin & José Luján.

(4) Young Talents: Carlos Huerto, José Bolivar & Oslimg Mora (Loan from Sporting Cristal).

Easy – Universitario

(1) Background & Expectation

They were runners up in the Copa Libertadores back in 1972, they have won 26 league titles and have the biggest stadium in the entirety of South America. The Estadio Monumental is capable of hosting 80,000 (!) spectators. The truth is however that La U were on the brink of relegation earlier in 2019 and that the average attendances are lower than 15,000. To add to that, 23 of their 26 league titles were won before the 21st century as the biggest club in Peru has been undergoing a slow decline. Someone needs to take charge to restore their reputation… You may not have the most financial firepower compared to teams outside of Peru but the quality in your squad should provide enough of a foundation to compete for the title early on. If you do better than your real-life counterparts there’s a big chance that the Monumental will start to fill up sooner rather than later. If you are looking for a sleeping giant, Universitario should be your pick.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign players under the age of 23 for the first team.

  • Predicted to finish 3rd.

(3) Key Players: Aldo Corzo, Christian Ramos & Pablo Lavandeira.

(4) Young Talents: Emmanuel Páucar, Henry Vaca & José Zevallos.


Uruguay

Hard – Rampla Juniors

(1) Background & Expectation

One of the great stories of South American football is that Boca Juniors took their colours from the Swedish flag of a ship they spotted just outside Buenos Aires. Rampla Juniors have a similar story, implementing the red and green from the Italian flag after an Italian ship arrived in the bay of Montevideo. Rampla Juniors are a team who haven’t won all that much. In fact, they haven’t won a single trophy since the forming of the Uruguayan top flight. They don’t have a great youth set-up either. So why should you choose them? It’s simple: Their stadium. The Estadio Olímpico de Montevideo is located next to the Rio de la Plata which creates a unique and picturesque view from the stands. With many balls disappearing in the Rio de la Plata your finances may have to go elsewhere rather than your facilities...a club ready to be built up all the way from the ground.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • No starting Club Culture.

  • Predicted to finish 16th.

(3) Key Players: Claudio Servetti, Delis Vargas & Rodrigo Odriozola.

(4) Young Talents: Rodrigo Piñeiro, Diego Rosa & Lucas Rodríguez.

Medium – Defensor Sporting Club

(1) Background & Expectation

Defensor and Danubio are both part of the clásico de los medianos: The middle group, who are less successful than the grandes (Nacional & Peñarol) but have generally been much better than the chicos (translates to boys and means the other remaining teams). The name Defensor may ring a bell if you have ever bought a newgen from Uruguay in previous FM editions. They arguably have the best producing academy in the country with their players playing all over South America and Europe. Defensor could be a perfect choice for a long-term save. You’ll have a lot of catching up to do if you want to better los grandes but your youth academy should be able to form a solid foundation for just that. There’s an incredible set of players currently at your disposal with a lot of players having the potential to reach Europe. Defensor have won the Uruguayan championship on 4 occasions but are yet to win any continental silverware. With the right guidance of your current squad, Defensor could become a mainstay at the top of South American football.

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Sign high-reputation players.

  • Predicted to finish 4th.

(3) Key Players: Mariano Pavone, Martín Rabunal & Álvaro González.

(4) Young Talents: Facundo Milán, Emiliano Gómez & Ignacio Laquintana.

Easy – Club Atlético Peñarol

(1) Background & Expectation

With 50 (!) domestic titles and 5 Copa Libertadores wins, Peñarol are a household name in the world of South American football. Peñarol are the third most successful club in this prestigious tournament with only Boca Juniors (6) and Independiente (7) having won more Libertadores titles. A superb accomplishment given the financial differences between Uruguay and their neighbours. Their continental success, however, does stretch back to 1987. With a great academy, a fantastic stadium and the loyal Barra Amsterdam, which was named after Uruguay’s gold medal in the Olympics back in 1928, Peñarol deserve to be back on top of the South American football ladder. The financial gap with Brazil and Argentina is getting bigger by the year which means the clock is ticking… Can you take the aurinegros (yellow & blacks) to the top whilst staying ahead of your biggest rival Club Nacional?

(2) Club Vision & Media Prediction:

  • Sign high-reputation players.

  • Develop players using the club’s youth system.

  • Predicted to finish 1st.

(3) Key Players: Cristían Rodriguez, Walter Gargano & Xisco.

(4) Young Talents: Ezequiel Busquets, Agustín Canobbio & Facundo Pellistri.


This brings to an end the most comprehensive Football Manager league & guide to South America that I’ve ever seen written. Big thanks to Vincent for thoroughly researching these clubs and meticulously scouring the continent to give you the best club guide around. I am incredibly fortunate to have his presence on the blog, so please do go follow his exceptional coverage of South American football. Together with the previous league guide, there’s no excuses for not taking the plunge into South America for Football Manager 2020.

Next up on the blog is: South American ‘Ones To Watch’ in Football Manager 2020, which concludes this tribute to South America.

¡Vamos!

FM Grasshopper