Hello! Welcome back to our countdown of our top 25 CM9798 players. You can see the introduction and 25-21 here.

And now to resume the countdown…

20. Marc-Vivien Foe

Perhaps a bit of a left field choice (pun intended), Foe is usually found quite high up on the “interested foreign based players” list. He’ll solve your left sided issues, especially in the patch where his central was upgraded from a 1 to a 2, though he was downgraded from a -1 potential to a meagre 160 on potential. Deano sums it all up in a way only Deano can…

In Japanese culture they say that people die twice; firstly, when you leave your physical body and secondly when the last time someone mentions your name. Foe passed away tragically in 2003 aged 28 whilst playing for Cameroon in the Confederations Cup. Man City retired his number 23 shirt shortly afterwards. But CM9798 in some small way keeps his memory alive. If you play Foe at left back or left-wing back, in my opinion, there isn’t anyone better in his position. Very gettable from Lens when the game starts.

19. Denilson

Denilson became the most expensive player in the world at the end of the 97/98 season when he moved from Sao Paulo to Real Betis. The researchers should pat themselves on the back as they’ve given him an ability of 185 and a potential of -1, which basically means he is mint and can be even better. Nath, you loo like you’ve got something to say, do you?

A Bona fide CM9798 wonderkid. Denilson is only a teenager at the start of the game and can be snapped up for around £2 million. He takes a bit of time to settle in but once he does you have one of the best left sided players on the game. He will sparkle for any of the big teams. He’s another one with huge potential for high resale and someone you won’t have to replace for a good 10 seasons.

18. Jose Maria Bakero

“I’ll serve your ass like Jo Bakero” is not the lyric House of Pain sang but it certainly is a viable alternative. Bakero was a key part of the Retirement Home before a chronic back injury saw him claim wages for 2 years before eventually calling it quits. Still, you can’t knock a freebie. Matt Wills explains why:

This aging Spanish international is a must-sign for any manager looking to build a solid team, fast. He’s a free transfer at the start of the game and isn’t adverse to joining a lower league club. He’ll give you 2-3 seasons of consistent performance in the middle of the park. An able Captain, wouldn’t the world be a better place with a few more Bakero’s?

17. Japhet N’Doram

Here we have a player who is very loveable but his regen is *chef’s kiss*. I have a feeling that’s mostly why he scored so highly. His stats are fantastic, like most players in the French league. However they are back up by an ability of 171, so you know he’s going to be good whether it’s midfield or attack (or the little bit in between). Deano has more to say:

The only player from Chad on the database. And what a player he is. Play N’Doram in the hole and watch the goals, assists and MOMs roll in. He’s getting on a bit at Monaco and isn’t always the easiest to buy straight away. But when he retires you can easily spot his regen searching by country. And if you’re struggling for cash, fear not. You can pick his usually-amusingly-named regen up for the price of a Tesco Meal Deal. Holy moly Chad – that sounds rad!

16. Hristo Stoichkov

Another unusual pick, Stotichkov is in the usual position of being 31 but has a potential of 190 (from an ability of 143). He’s often overlooked at Barca for fancier, younger players but if he plays in their default Ajax formation (cheers Van Gaal) he’s the reason we have left sided forwards. Matt Wills explains some more.

I first came across Stoichkov at USA ’94 and what a player he is 3 years later. He usually leaves Barca on a free at the end of the first season as they have Sonny Anderson and usually sign Alfonso, so you can snap this left footed genius up if you have £10k a week spare for his wages. He weighs in with his fair share of goals and is another who you’ll get 2-3 solid seasons out of and then his regen is a bargain. Keep an eye on that Work Permit though!

Don’t forget to try our CM9798 Anniversary Quiz!