Even though you're not supposed to be able to, you can manage Japan in the 2026 @FIFAWorldCup on #FM26. Here's how:

lol @Fx1Jonny you've fucked it you absolute mug

James Rodriguez (Colombia) - Team Top Scorer @ 10.00 This is the sort of team top scorer bet that looks odd until you remember how these markets actually get won. Colombia do not need James Rodriguez to roll back 2014 and score five. He just needs one penalty, one set-piece second ball, one lovely late run, and suddenly he is right in a race that often only takes two goals, sometimes with the lead shared. The price is the angle. We make him about 3.05, with the market closer to treating him like a 10/1 outsider. That is too big for Colombia’s attacking hub, especially when he has penalties in his pocket and has been involved in such a big chunk of their output. Our numbers have him at 1.17 expected goals for the tournament, which is plenty in a country top scorer market, and he still profiles as a starter even if the minutes are managed, around 66 per game. There is risk, of course. He is 34, Colombia are not projected as a side with a huge ceiling, and his knockout scoring rate is weaker than his base level. But they are expected to get around 4.8 games in our path model, with a 64% shot at the last 16, so he should have enough runway. At 10.00, with penalties and centrality on his side, this is simply too big.

Mohammad Ghorbani (Iran) - Team Top Scorer (country) @ 101.00 This is the sort of team top scorer bet that looks daft until you remember how these markets actually get won. Iran are not expected to go deep, and if they only play a short tournament, their top scorer could easily finish on one goal, maybe even shared. At 101.00, Ghorbani does not need a golden summer. He just needs one moment. The case is mostly price and role. Our model has him as a starter, around 80 minutes a game, so he should get the pitch time to stumble into the race if Iran’s goals are thinly spread. We make him about a 5% chance to be Iran’s top scorer, while the market is pricing him nearer 0.7%. That is a big gap for a market where one goal can put half the squad in the conversation. There are obvious reasons he is this big. He has no penalties, no set-pieces, no goals in his last five, and his international scoring record is not doing the selling for him. But his club rate of 0.40 goals per 90 at least says he is not completely allergic to arriving in scoring positions. It is a scruffy, low-total bet, not a pretty one. At 101.00, that is exactly the point. If Iran’s attack underwhelms, Ghorbani only needs one clean swing to make this price look silly.

Ramy Rabia (Egypt) - Team Top Scorer (country) @ 151.00 This is the sort of ugly-looking bet that can make sense in a team top scorer market. Rabia is not being backed because he is suddenly Egypt’s main goal threat. He is being backed because these markets are often won, or at least shared, on tiny numbers. One goal can put a defender right in the mix, especially if the forwards split the scoring or Egypt’s tournament output stays modest. The price is the whole point. The market is treating him like a total no-hoper at around 0.5%, while our number has him closer to 3.6%. That is still a long shot, obviously, but it makes 151.00 look too big. He is projected as a starter, around 73 minutes a game, so he should actually be on the pitch for the scruffy corner, second phase, or loose ball that changes this bet. There are reasons to keep expectations sensible. He has no penalties, no set-piece role, and only 0.20 expected tournament goals in our model. But his international scoring rate is not zero, at 0.16 per 90, and he has one goal in his last five for Egypt. For a centre-back at this price, that is enough of a pulse. You are not betting on Rabia to go goal-crazy. You are betting that one goal in a low-total race is worth far more than the market is allowing.

Anthony Valencia (Ecuador) - Team Top Scorer @ 26.00 This is the sort of team top scorer bet that makes sense because the bar may not be very high. Ecuador are very likely to get out of the group in our numbers, but they are not priced as a side going deep, so we are probably talking about three or four meaningful games, not a seven-match Golden Boot campaign. In that kind of setup, one goal can put you right in the mix, two can easily be enough, and shared leads are common. Valencia’s case is simple enough. He is projected as a starter, around 80 minutes a game, and he has penalties in his column, which is a huge swing in a market this thin. Our model has him for 1.17 tournament goals, which does not sound like loads, but for Ecuador team top scorer it absolutely plays. His international scoring rate is a lively 0.60 per 90, and even if the recent form is only one goal in his last five, the role matters more than the headline streak here. The risk is obvious. Ecuador’s quarter-final chance is basically nil in our run, and his knockout scoring profile is a fade, so this is not a bet built on him catching fire for a month. It is built on price. At 26.00, the market is treating him like a long-shot passenger, while our numbers make him much closer to a live route-one contender. At anything like this price, Valencia is too big for a starter with minutes, penalty access and a realistic path to topping a modest Ecuador scoring chart.

The beta test games have gone well so I've created a lobby to register for new games, if enough people register the game will automatically start. For those who want to jump straight in, I've created a Draft game mode, where you build your initial squad through 21 draft picks.

As much as I entertain myself trolling and fitting ITYSL gifs into 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 reply, there are too many morons & too many Nigerians posting shite for engagement on here. I’ll be back for the World Cup but for now I’m uninstalling and logging out. Peace🫡 play.fifa.com/fantasy/join-l…

what the fuck How dare I let my cat get fresh air, catch mice and have a nice time in the garden.

There are people in the world who actually think cats shouldn’t be allowed outside??? What the fuck.

- fixed an issue where Cole Palmer has bright red hair.

Looking forward to the @FootballManager changelog for the inevitable upcoming #FM26 patch: - fixed an issue where you must watch the linesman while the game continues off screen - fixed an issue where changing the camera angle to try and watch the match causes the game to crash

I once mistakenly said FM content creators where like a mouthpiece for positive FM content but I take it back. Most are fair, impartial, and are generally just sad the game isn’t better. I won’t tag them all but well done for persevering and thanks for keeping your integrity. 👏

I’m gonna win the World Cup with all 47* qualified nations. Who should I do it with first? *japan aren’t playable

If you haven’t already booked annual leave for Monday 20th July you cannot call yourself an England fan.

If you enjoyed this story and/or the music, please like and share the opening post. x.com/LastManBalling/status/…