1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this. Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
SportsFootball (Soccer)Football (American)
~447.6 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 93.5% of 24k
The Squirrel's verdictFM2021 carries the same management depth the series is known for — transfers, training, tactics, squad development — but at a steeper learning curve than WE ARE FOOTBALL. It added xG tracking and refinements reviewers who skipped earlier entries noticed positively. Median playtime is 448 hours. The editor and workshop mods that make WE ARE FOOTBALL easy to customize are absent here.
Not for you if you found WE ARE FOOTBALL's interface manageable and don't want to navigate a denser, spreadsheet-heavy system with a steep initial learning curve.
2
SportsFootball (Soccer)Football (American)
~487.1 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 86.8% of 12k
The Squirrel's verdictFM2019 sits closer to a full management simulation than WE ARE FOOTBALL, with a reworked training model and a more flexible tactical system reviewers call the best in the series at that point. The match engine draws consistent criticism for blocked crosses and unreliable finishing. Median playtime is 487 hours. Players who want more tactical granularity than WE ARE FOOTBALL provides will find it here.
Not for you if you want stadium construction, workshop-editable rosters, or a match engine free from recurring complaints about blocked crosses and poor finishing.
3
Turn-Based CombatFootball (Soccer)Economy
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$24.99 ~119.3 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 87.1% of 4k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth put you in charge of squad building, contracts, and club progression rather than simulating football as pure spectacle. FTG replaces WE ARE FOOTBALL's real-time-style management with turn-based, tactical on-pitch matches resembling XCOM more than FIFA. Suits players who want club and player development wrapped around a chess-like match engine instead of a football sim.
Not for you if you want actual football matches rather than turn-based tactical battles and abstract player-development systems.
4
Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
SportsFootball (Soccer)RPG
$19.99 ~47.7 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 87.4% of 522
The Squirrel's verdictBoth put you in a manager's chair with transfers, training, and squad decisions, but New Star Manager strips the spreadsheet-heavy granularity WE ARE FOOTBALL leans on, replacing deep negotiation systems with a card-based, mouse-driven interface and lighter tactical layer. Suits players who found WE ARE FOOTBALL's depth appealing in theory but want faster, more arcade-paced matches.
Not for you if you want detailed transfer negotiations and deep tactical granularity rather than a simplified, mouse-controlled arcade approach to management.
5
Football Manager 2019 Touch
PCMac
SportsFootball (American)Football (Soccer)
~289.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 82.5% of 406
The Squirrel's verdictBoth are management sims built on squad building, tactics, and transfers rather than on-pitch action. FM Touch strips out team talks and deep training menus to speed up seasons, trading the sprawling detail WE ARE FOOTBALL players compare to Football Manager for a leaner, faster save. Suits players who want match-day decisions without hundred-hour commitments.
Not for you if you want deep training and scouting systems, team talks, or the full-depth negotiation detail some reviewers found stripped out here.
6
Football Manager Touch 2018
PCMacLinux
SportsFootball (Soccer)
~175.8 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 70.6% of 194
The Squirrel's verdictFM Touch 2018 sits between the full FM experience and a mobile-style game, cutting team talks and deep training menus in favor of faster season progression. Reviewers with long series histories describe it as the right level of complexity — enough depth without the micromanagement of the full game. Median playtime is 176 hours. Licensed data and statistical depth exceed what WE ARE FOOTBALL offers on those fronts.
Not for you if you want editor tools, workshop content, or text commentary that reviewers note was removed from this version.
How the Squirrel matches games
Not tag overlap. We compare what players actually say across hundreds of
thousands of reviews about how each game feels to play, then break
the comparison into the mechanics you can see in each card. The mark on
every bar is WE ARE FOOTBALL 2024's own score, so you can read where a match runs
hotter or cooler than the anchor.
Verdicts are written against a fixed editorial standard, machine-audited,
and human spot-checked. Which games make the cut is a human call. Prices
and review data refresh automatically. Full method & AI disclosure →