Football Manager 2019: Best Strikers

Finding a reliable striker is vital to the success of any team at any level of football. It is no different in Football Manager, where players can go through season-ruining slumps in a heartbeat. getting the best possible striker to keep the goals flowing is no easy task.

We look at ALL the best strikers in Football Manager 2019. These players are naturals at the position and deadly finishers, but they can also influence open play with good passing, pace, or strength. To be the very best it isn't just about burying the ball in the back of the net, it is about opening up defences for your teammates to take advantage. 

For a full list of ALL the best strikers on FM19, see the table at the end of this page.

Lionel Messi (CA 195 - PA 199)

Age: 31

Positions: ST, AM (RC)

Club: Barcelona

Country: Argentina

Best Attributes: Flair (20), Finishing (20), Dribbling (20)

Value: £85 million

Wages: £1.2 million a week

Lionel Messi is, unsurprisingly, a brilliant player in Football Manager 19. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has claimed nine La Liga titles and four Champions League winners medals with Barcelona and despite now being 31 he is still a remarkable player.

In FM 19 Messi's stats are unparalleled. His talent on the ball is exceptional (20 finishing, 20 dribbling, 20 passing, 20 technique) and he is great at a set piece too (19 free kick taking). Messi's outright speed is falling off now (15 pace, 13 stamina) but he still has exceptional burst to get into position or fly past a defender (20 agility, 18 acceleration). 

Cristiano Ronaldo (CA 195 - PA 196)

Age: 33

Positions: ST, AM (L)

Club: Juventus

Country: Portugal

Best Attributes: Finishing (20), Long shots (20), Penalty Taking (20)

Value: £68 million

Wages: £1 million a week

Cristiano Ronaldo stunned the world when he left Real Madrid over the summer. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner lifted four Champions League titles with Madrid, including the last three in a row, but opted to leave for Juventus in a €100 million move. 

In FM 19 Ronaldo is an assassin in front of goal. He has the max 20 for finishing, long shots, and penalty taking, and isn't a bad creator for others either (15 dribbling, 15 technique, 14 passing). Ronaldo may be aging but he still has exceptional physicality (19 natural fitness, 18 jumping reach, 17 strength, 16 pace) and has superb mental attributes as well (20 determination, 18 anticipation, 18 off the ball).

Luis Suarez (CA 180 - PA 188)

Age: 31

Positions: ST, AM (LRC)

Club: Barcelona

Country: Uruguay

Best Attributes: Determination (19), Finishing (18), Flair (18)

Value: £75 million

Wages: £400,000 a week

Luis Suarez first made a name for himself with Ajax, where he banged in 81 goals in 110 games before moving to Liverpool in 2011.  He racked up 69 goals and several personal honours at Anfield before making a £65 million move to Barcelona in July 2014.

In Football Manager 2019, Suarez is one of the best pure strikers around. His mental stats (19 determination, 18 flair, 17 composure) and remarkable talent on the ball (18 finishing, 17 technique, 16 first touch) combine to create a deadly poacher in front of goal. He has good physicality too (16 natural fitness, 14 pace, 13 strength) and is solid in the air (16 heading).

Sergio Aguero (CA 178 - PA 183)

Age: 30

Positions: ST, AM (C)

Club: Manchester City

Country: Argentina

Best Attributes: Balance (19), Dribbling (18), Technique (18)

Value: £75 million

Wages: £230,000 a week

Sergio Aguero arrived in the Premier League in 2011 and has been terrorising defenders ever since. The 2014/15 golden boot winner is already in the top 10 of Premier League goal scorers and will surely end his time as the league's top non-English scorer.

While he is no spring chicken, Sergio Aguero's physical traits (19 balance, 18 acceleration, 18 agility, 16 stamina, 15 pace) are still present in Football Manager 2019, and they compliment his talent on the ball very well (18 dribbling, 18 technique, 17 finishing, 17 first touch). This makes him a deadly striker for any tactics you may use.

Antoine Griezmann (CA 177 - PA 181)

Age: 27

Positions: ST, AM (LC)

Club: Atletico Madrid

Country: France

Best Attributes: First Touch (19), Finishing (18), Off The Ball (18)

Value: £72 million

Wages: £800,000 a week

Antoine Griezmann joined Atletico Madrid for £24 million in 2014 as a winger, but his instincts to come inside and bury the ball in the back of the net soon convinced Atleti to move him into a central striker role where he blossomed. He was the star for France in Euro 2016 and incredibly influential in their World Cup triumph this summer.

Griezmann is a striker in his prime, and while he doesn't have incredible pace, his movement (18 off the ball, 15 acceleration) and work rate (15) means he pops up exactly where he is needed. When on the ball Griezmann is ferociously talented (19 first touch, 17 dribbling, 17 technique) and is deadly in front of goal (18 finishing).

Harry Kane (CA 177 - PA 180)

Age: 24

Positions: ST

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Country: England

Best Attributes: Finishing (19), Stamina (18), Determination (18)

Value: £75 million

Wages: £200,000 a week

Harry Kane has spent his whole career with Spurs, outside a few loan spells, and he seems set to stay there for his entire career. Kane is only 24 but has already scored over 100 goals for Spurs and is flying up the all-time Premier League goal scorers list.

Kane is a monster in front of goal (19 finishing, 17 penalty taking, 16 heading) and has the mental attributes of a more experienced player (17 work rate, 16 composure, 15 team work). Kane also has excellent physical stats (18 stamina, 16 natural fitness, 15 strength) to make him a threat from almost anywhere.

Robert Lewandowski (CA 175 - PA 178)

Age: 29

Positions: ST

Club: Bayern Munich

Country: Poland

Best Attributes: Balance (20), Stamina (19), Work Rate (18)

Value: £75 million

Wages: £275,000 a week

Robert Lewandowski has long been one of the deadliest strikers in Europe. He first came to prominence with Borussia Dortmund where he won two Bundesliga titles. He signed with Bayern Munich in 2014 and has already scored more than 100 goals for the German giants.

In FM19 Lewandowski is a beast. He can run all day (19 natural fitness, 19 stamina) and has brilliant mental attributes (18 work rate, 18 decisions, 18 bravery, 17 off the ball, 16 teamwork). All of that underpins a player that is better on the ball than you think (18 first touch, 16 technique, 13 passing) and deadly in front of goal (18 finishing, 17 penalty taking).

Roberto Firmino (CA 172 - PA 175)

Age: 26

Positions: ST

Club: Liverpool

Country: Brazil

Best Attributes: Technique (18), Teamwork (18), Work Rate (18)

Value: £67 million

Wages: £180,000 a week

Roberto Firmino arrived in Europe with Hoffenheim in 2010 and played five seasons there before Liverpool saw the talent in him and signed him for £30 million in 2015. Since arriving in the Premier League Firmino has become a creative player that can score and provide.

In Football Manager 19 Firmino is a remarkable talent. His effort around the pitch is outstanding (18 work rate, 18 teamwork, 17 off the ball) and complimented by his physical stats (16 natural fitness, 16 stamina, 15 agility). On the ball he is excellent too, a creator (18 technique, 17 first touch, 15 passing) who can ghost by defenders and score too (17 first touch, 16 dribbling, 15 finishing).

Gonzalo Higuain (CA 172 - PA 180)

Age: 30

Positions: ST

Club: AC Milan

Country: Argentina

Best Attributes: Finishing (19), Decisions (19), Work Rate (17)

Value: £67 million

Wages: £300,000 a week

Gonzalo Higuain first came to Europe with Real Madrid in 2006 and was quickly their leading man up front. With the advent of Ronaldo and others, Higuain found himself sidelined and he moved to Napoli in 2013. He was a star there before being snapped up by Juventus in 2016 for £74 million. He is technically on loan with AC Milan this season.

Higuain is a pure finisher. He's brilliant in front of goal (19 finishing, 16 long shots, 15 heading, 14 penalty taking) and has good physical attributes for a player in his 30s (17 stamina, 16 strength, 16 natural fitness). He's also a smart player who works hard for the team (19 decisions, 17 anticipation, 17 off the ball, 17 teamwork, 17 work rate) allowing you to play an aggressive press when you lose possession.

Kylian Mbappe (CA 172 - PA 196)

Age: 19

Positions: ST, AM (R)

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Country: France

Best Attributes: Pace (20), Acceleration (19), Flair (18)

Value: £71 million

Wages: £325,000 a week

Kylian Mbappe burst onto the scene for Monaco in the 2016-17 season, helping them win Ligue 1 that season before making a €180 million loan-transfer in the Summer of 2017. He has already become one of the best players in the world and was named Best Young Player at this year's World Cup, where he scored in the final to help France lift the trophy.

In FM 19 Mbappe's incredible speed makes him a nightmare for any defence (20 pace, 19 acceleration). He already has good mental attributes for his age (18 flair, 17 off the ball, 17 composure) and is simply remarkable on the ball (18 technique, 17 dribbling, 16 first touch). He isn't yet as brilliant in front of goal as others (16 finishing) but he has plenty of time to improve.

Best Strikers on Football Manager 2019