276 - 313: Divided into players operating in two separate groups, the "attack group" and the "defense group"
excel(part 7, the newest )
326 Handling, Shot Stopping, Physical x 2, Chance Conversion, Aerial Defence, Ground Defence and One on Ones 327 [Quickness][Match Practice][Attacking]x2
This is my current selected and conclusion:
The larger the amount of CA that is increased, the more inefficient attributes there will be. Therefore, increasing the CA will lead to a relatively poorer quality .
(1) Least growth but highest quality:
85 [回顾录像] [Match Review] The maximum increase in Acceleration Pace, or if the overall potential of the players is low CA growth: 17.40
43 （休息）无训练 [Rest] The maximum increase in Acceleration Pace, or if the overall potential of the players is low CA growth: 17.53
82 [恢复] [Recovery] Desired to use "85 or 43", but upon discovering a high incidence of injuries , as an alternative to the first two options. arranged several "[Recovery]" CA growth: 17.76
(2) Moderate growth, high quality:
317 [身体]x2[把握机会][攻击] [Physical]x2[Chance Conversion][Attacking] A balanced training (not in a hurry to enhance CA) CA growth: 30.71 Special note: "攻击组 All member in attack group", all non-goalkeeper players should be placed in the attack group.
276 [边路进攻] [Attacking Wings] as an alternative if discovering a high incidence of injuries CA growth: 29.17 Special note: "攻击组 All member in attack group", all non-goalkeeper players should be placed in the attack group.
(3) High growth, medium-high quality:
339 [速度][练习赛][攻击] [Quickness][Attacking][Match Practice] A balanced training (with a certain requirement for rapid improvement in CA) CA growth: 35.72 Note: If there are many injuries or the player lacks of March-Sharpness, add several "[Recovery]". (This is the one we recommended before.)
(4) very High growth , moderate quality:
331 [身体][练习赛][攻击][防守] [Physical][Match Practice][Attacking][Defending] If you need to increase the CA value as quickly as possible, use this . CA growth: 39.62
Be sure not to forget the additional focus. Expand
It's not possible to import files into FM 26.
But Match Review is only one session of that type, and the rest is either rest or recovery?
This is one of the most downloaded tactics for FM 26 on the forum! And it's no wonder. Tactics with 3 defenders don't even look like football. The Fumanchu tactic maintains a certain ball possession style combined with long passes.
For a more relaxed career throughout the season, I developed two more models:
- The Light tactic, to be used when winning by more than 2 goals (the objective is to conserve energy and avoid injuries).
- and an ultra-defensive tactic, ideal for those last ten minutes where you think you might concede a goal at any moment against a much superior team. I rarely use it because I always arrive winning by more than two goals, but when I used it, it guaranteed the result. I'd have to test it more to see...
Robbo84FM said: Something i have noticed on FM26 is that some attributes have grown but yet they don't have arrows next to the attribute, i am nearly half way through a 2nd season and here you can see on Yoro i have isolated his Acc & Pace and in the line chart you can clearly see both attributes have grown by 1 but they have no arrow next to the attribute, it might be a bit of a bug as FM26 is still not perfect but thought it was something to keep an eye on not always focusing on attribute arrows to show growth. Expand
I believe it's because the arrow is temporary. It only shows the variation over the last few months. juliius said: Anyone know if there is a way to setup the auto rest thing for the youth teams? Might be missing something obvious, but i can't seem to find anywhere to do rest and double intensity settings for them Expand Click on "Squad," then the training card will appear. Tap the circle next to it until you reach the U19s. This will take you to the U19 training card, where you can access individual training and automatic rest.
juliius said: This is what i've done. So the schedule is based on what @GeorgeFloydOverdosed suggested. It is set up for a save where the matches are only played on wednesday and saturday. So this way i always get super rest on monday. And no matter whether the games are away or home all the training modules are done.
Also regarding whether to use rest or recovery, i've no clue in terms of if either option gives better training. Anecdotally though i seem to get less injuries when just using rest, maybe the extra superrest sometimes midweek does more than the supposed injury prevention from recovery sessions. Expand
1 - You mention two training methods: a) Quickness + 2 x Attacking + Match Practice + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods b) Chance creation + Attacking + Aerial Defense + Handling + Defending from the front + Quickness + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods
Is the difference between them huge? Especially since it's difficult to have a professional level above 16 across the entire squad. So in FM 26, can I go with the first option?
2 - Is individual speed training worthwhile for players over 24? This is because, from experience, we see that speed or agility attributes only increase after that age, even with additional focus. Furthermore, the coach and the player themselves always complain and say it no longer has any effect. Is there any alternative to this, or is there a way to maintain speed?
1 - You mention two training methods: a) Quickness + 2 x Attacking + Match Practice + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods b) Chance creation + Attacking + Aerial Defense + Handling + Defending from the front + Quickness + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods
Is the difference between them huge? Especially since it's difficult to have a professional level above 16 across the entire squad. So in FM 26, can I go with the first option?
2 - Is individual speed training worthwhile for players over 24? This is because, from experience, we see that speed or agility attributes only increase after that age, even with additional focus. Furthermore, the coach and the player themselves always complain and say it no longer has any effect. Is there any alternative to this, or is there a way to maintain speed?
I believe we've gathered some good empirical material. Now we need a training tutorial.
I also realize that after 25 years old it's difficult to increase speed and acceleration attributes. Should we persist or try individual training in another area?
In FM 26, is Rest or Recovery better? Or is there not much difference?
When there are two games a week, what's the best schedule for FM 26?
1 offensive; 1 math practice + 1 acceleration and the rest rest or recovery? Or just one acceleration and the rest rest? Or what?
What is the goal of your training, Zaz? To develop physicality, acceleration, and speed? Or is it training to avoid injuries as much as possible? Do you think your training develops CA and attributes more than the Chinese meta (which uses Offensive, game pace, and speed + recovery)?
Regarding super-rest (3 rest sessions on the same day). When the game is away (for example, on Sunday), it only allows two periods. Does it have the same effect? Or is it better to do the 3 rest sessions two days later (in this case, on Tuesday)? This is especially challenging in weeks with two games. In my case, practically the whole year is two games.
And Zaz, what about when we're 1-0 up against much stronger teams? Do we keep attacking? In those last 5 minutes of the match against these stronger teams, do we maintain the attacking tactic or do we have another tactic and/or strategy to defend in those moments?
Hey, and what about florin133's test from FM 24? Do his findings still apply to FM 26?
The most contradictory and counterintuitive finding is that putting your young players on after the 70th minute of the second half is useless for their development. That's rubbish if true, because that's exactly what I've been doing and many professional teams do with their young players to "give them playing time".
The other findings are obvious and certainly hold true, such as the fact that depending on age, keeping the player in the youth academy is important, the importance of matches, and the relevance of the league.
Insane tactic. And what I liked most about it is that it's the closest to reality, playing with something that resembles a 4-3-3 with a false nine. It's one of the tactics that scores the most goals on the forum. If combined with a more conservative one, which you can use when facing big clubs, it's almost unbeatable. I also won the Champions League with it against Athletic Bilbao.
I had tried several setups, but rarely scored, at most on rebounds. I discovered this routine from Parisian and since then I've been able to score occasionally.
An important detail is to use set-piece frequencies, so as not to become too predictable; sometimes use short distribution, which is also effective and generates set-piece opportunities.
The setting is for automatic rest (no field or gym) when the player is tired.
In that sense, wouldn't it be redundant to schedule rest after a match? This is because the starters will already be resting due to the setting, while the substitutes who need match fitness or training will also be resting. Therefore, wouldn't it be better to schedule a match practice the day after a game so that the substitutes can train?
All credit for this engine goes to Knap. But I believe that in the New Year's patch, SI should correct the dominance of the three defenders and play without a striker. Let's see who breaks the mold next.
In short: matches are the real source of CA growth in FM, while training mainly affects conversion efficiency and allocation. Playing time, match ratings and competitive context generate CA; training does not create CA by itself. What training does is keep ratings high, reduce inefficiency, and steer where the gained CA is distributed.
That’s why setups heavy on Rest/Recovery can still work (as shown in community tests): they don’t block growth as long as players are playing matches and maintaining good training ratings, especially via Match Practice and focused individual training.
Physical attributes like Acceleration and Pace have high internal weight and strong diminishing returns: they are extremely efficient to raise when low, but very expensive near elite levels (around 16+), often slowing technical and mental growth. So the optimal approach is to prioritize physicals early, reach a competitive plateau, and then rebalance development rather than endlessly forcing them higher.
📆 Structuring team training and individual training within this engine logic From this perspective, team training should be viewed less as a direct growth tool and more as a development support system. Since CA is generated mainly by matches, the ideal team training setup is one that maintains high training ratings, good condition, and a stable conversion environment without competing with the main growth source. That’s why efficient schedules heavily favor Recovery, Rest and Match Practice, especially in weeks with one or two matches. Recovery and Rest do not increase attributes, but they preserve condition, reduce hidden fatigue, and help keep training ratings high, which is essential for efficient CA conversion. Match Practice, meanwhile, simulates competitive exposure and acts as a bridge between matches and training, being particularly valuable for youngsters, rotation players, and one-match weeks. Highly specific sessions (defensive units, attacking units, set pieces, cohesion) serve tactical or situational purposes, but should not dominate the weekly structure when the main goal is physical development and sustainable CA growth.
Individual training is where real attribute prioritization happens, especially for physicals. Community testing consistently shows that Acceleration and Pace have disproportionate impact on match performance, which justifies focusing individual training on these attributes — particularly for young players with large PA–CA gaps. The key, however, is cost-efficiency: up to around 15–16 Acceleration/Pace, returns are excellent because the attributes are still below the practical ceiling and absorb CA efficiently. Beyond that point, diminishing returns apply: pushing Acceleration from 16 to 17 requires much more relative CA and often delays growth in technical and mental attributes. Therefore, the most efficient approach is to prioritize Acceleration and Pace early, reach a competitive plateau (~16), and then reduce intensity or switch individual focus to technical or mental attributes aligned with the player’s role. For veterans, the logic reverses: individual training serves primarily to maintain physicals and slow decline, not to generate growth, and should be kept at normal intensity, avoiding double intensity due to fatigue, injury risk, and reduced training ratings with little developmental return.
In the Brazilian Football Manager community, we’ve been actively debating forum tests, shared experiments, and engine behavior, alongside long discussions with AI (ChatGPT). This article is the result of that process. Feel free to disagree, refute parts of it, or improve it — the intention is to collaboratively refine a practical understanding of how the FM engine truly works.
1 What CA is — and what it is not
Before talking about training, it’s essential to align concepts.
> CA (Current Ability) is an invisible internal value that represents a player’s current overall level. > Attributes do not generate CA. > Attributes do not directly “consume” CA.
The real engine flow is: Matches + development context → CA gain → automatic distribution of CA into attributes The most common misconception is thinking that: > “Training creates attributes” > “Attributes consume CA” None of this happens directly. What actually exists is conversion and allocation, not direct creation.
2 PA defines the ceiling — not the pace or the direction PA (Potential Ability): > does not generate attributes > does not push growth > does not guarantee development
PA only defines the maximum total ability budget a player can sustain. Two players with the same PA can: > grow at very different rates > develop completely different profiles > stagnate for different reasons
PA limits the budget — it does not decide where the budget is spent.
3 The PA–CA gap as the growth-rate engine The larger the gap between PA and CA, the higher the potential growth rate per season. Conceptual example: > 18 years old, high PA, low CA → large reallocation margin > 25 years old, high PA, already high CA → small margin
Even with similar matches and training: > the first player grows fast > the second grows very little
This “gap” is the structural space the engine has to work with.
4 Age: the silent multiplier The same PA–CA gap produces different results depending on age: > 16–19: very high conversion efficiency > 20–23: strong growth, but more role-directed > 24–26: punctual / selective growth > 27+: residual growth, focus shifts to maintenance
Age does not block growth — it defines how expensive growth becomes.
5 The central role of matches in CA gain The primary driver of CA gain is playing matches. When a player: > plays regularly > receives good match ratings > faces an appropriate competitive context (level, intensity, pressure)
matches generate CA. This applies to: > competitive matches > friendlies > Match Practice, which is one of the few training sessions that simulates real match experience
Without matches, CA growth is severely limited.
6 So what is training actually for? This is the most misunderstood part of Football Manager.
Training does NOT create CA. Training does NOT create attributes by itself.
Training exists to: > increase the conversion rate of gained CA > direct where that CA is allocated > prevent efficiency loss during development
In practical terms: > Players gain CA by playing > If training rating / happiness / intensity tolerance is high: > CA is efficiently distributed > If training rating is low: > part of the growth potential is wasted or diluted
Important: CA is not stored waiting for training to improve. If conversion conditions are poor, growth is simply less efficient.
7 What if a player performs well but trains poorly? This is the critical scenario.
Situation: > Player performs well in matches > Has PA–CA space > But has low training ratings
Result: Matches still generate CA, However: > attribute conversion is worse > growth is slower > part of the gain is internally diluted
In short: playing is a necessary condition training well is an efficiency condition
8 The “Chinese test” — and why it doesn’t contradict this In the well-known Chinese community test:
Players: > played many matches (competitive + friendlies) > often two matches per week
Team training: >almost entirely Rest / Recovery
Individual training: > focused (e.g. Quickness)
Result: players still developed significantly
Why? Because: > CA came from matches > Match Practice preserved competitive exposure > Individual training ratings were high > There was a large PA–CA gap
Light team training did not stop growth because: > it was not supposed to create CA > it simply did not interfere with conversion
This test shows that: matches create growth opportunity, training determines how well that opportunity is used.
9 Match Practice: a special session Match Practice deserves special attention.
It is one of the few sessions that: > simulates real match conditions > contributes to: > experience > match sharpness > indirect CA generation
That’s why it is: > extremely valuable > especially in weeks with few matches or for developing youngsters > It’s no coincidence it appears in almost every efficient training setup.
10 Why some attributes rise easily and others don’t Here we reach the technical core. The engine does not distribute CA equally. Each attribute has a different internal weight.
11- Diminishing returns: the Acceleration case Practical example: Player with 8 Acceleration Far below competitive standard Very little CA (sometimes ~0.2) already converts into +1 Acceleration Very fast development Player with 16 Acceleration Already elite-level To reach 17: requires much more CA (often close to 6 CA for +1) gains are often: diluted into other attributes or take many weeks to “close” the point Key point: There is no fixed CA cost There is a much higher CA requirement for the same +1 That’s why: 8 → 9 is cheap 16 → 17 is very expensive in efficiency terms In other words: the cost is not linear — it grows exponentially. Hence: focusing on physicals at low levels is extremely efficient pushing already elite physicals consumes a large part of the invisible budget “Acceleration up to 16 wins matches. Above 17, it wins forum debates.” Now the meaning is clear: up to 16: strong practical impact still acceptable cost above 16: marginal on-pitch gain disproportionate CA cost slows technical and mental development 16 is a very strong competitive efficiency point. Beyond that is theoretical optimization, not structural advantage.
12 Smart strategy: accelerate early, balance later This leads to an advanced individual training decision: Young players (16–21): prioritize Quickness until ~15–16 excellent cost-benefit ratio After that: continuing to push Acceleration consumes too much relative CA harms technical and mental growth Solid strategy: prioritize physicals early → stabilize → redirect This is not “slowing development” — it’s optimizing CA distribution.
Final conclusions Matches are the engine of growth Training defines conversion efficiency Match Practice is the key link between the two CA is not created by training Attributes do not directly “consume” CA High physical attributes have diminishing returns Training well doesn’t create growth — it amplifies it Understanding this completely changes: how you build training weeks how you use individual training how you develop youngsters why sometimes “nothing grows” despite good performances
Playing a lot already creates development. Training well defines where, how fast, and at what cost that development happens. Those who understand this stop asking: “What’s the best training?” and start asking: “Am I spending my invisible CA budget where it actually matters?”
https://mega.nz/file/4UUUDKgC#NuyR8RDaNap2_e44yi9SS2cjTkGgo2dpTL33obiUWQE
or
https://pixeldrain.com/u/pcRwnxi8
excel(part 2 , old)
https://mega.nz/file/QZNVgQzK#xOTiw1heWmVtIDRDDPiUZqzbBnqYAbVi14RYX0W3CoQ
or
https://pixeldrain.com/u/NzTu56KH
excel(part 3, old)
https://mega.nz/file/8JlW2LKb#NZyQ-gdnlcXu3Iun8-l5I-_c7wRmikgAvjOZjEsTvCg
or
https://pixeldrain.com/u/oa8Y2Z4U
excel(part 4, old)
https://mega.nz/file/dENF1KSK#gY0GO3Od_fALZ51UW_2dxLnAMnmlt0hkt01FVh9ZP50
or
https://pixeldrain.com/u/ihxzDL9p
excel(part 5, old )
https://mega.nz/file/dAMBTTAD#qJSvz7gwU0o-Yo3ecffCsMEBLiOesQe_7bwiCR_DGXw
or
https://pixeldrain.com/u/pcYTkHrZ
excel(part 6, old )
https://mega.nz/file/ABNjyJLa#5dnATFyZJzx1kpgvL_XzK5G1oiEtPUCAcuglbwL_G-8
or
https://pixeldrain.com/u/5uJ576BD
excel(part 7, the newest )
https://mega.nz/file/xEVGgToB#wlfXt8z6fdoXOez8N8Wk4-Qv3e1rq2Miv1p_0xU5t5A
or
https://pixeldrain.com/u/4mTPSyTD
276 - 313: Divided into players operating in two separate groups, the "attack group" and the "defense group"
excel(part 7, the newest )
326 Handling, Shot Stopping, Physical x 2, Chance Conversion, Aerial Defence, Ground Defence and One on Ones
327 [Quickness][Match Practice][Attacking]x2
This is my current selected and conclusion:
The larger the amount of CA that is increased, the more inefficient attributes there will be.
Therefore, increasing the CA will lead to a relatively poorer quality .
(1) Least growth but highest quality:
85 [回顾录像] [Match Review] The maximum increase in Acceleration Pace, or if the overall potential of the players is low
CA growth: 17.40
43 （休息）无训练 [Rest] The maximum increase in Acceleration Pace, or if the overall potential of the players is low
CA growth: 17.53
82 [恢复] [Recovery] Desired to use "85 or 43", but upon discovering a high incidence of injuries , as an alternative to the first two options. arranged several "[Recovery]"
CA growth: 17.76
(2) Moderate growth, high quality:
317 [身体]x2[把握机会][攻击] [Physical]x2[Chance Conversion][Attacking] A balanced training (not in a hurry to enhance CA)
CA growth: 30.71
Special note: "攻击组 All member in attack group", all non-goalkeeper players should be placed in the attack group.
276 [边路进攻] [Attacking Wings] as an alternative if discovering a high incidence of injuries
CA growth: 29.17
Special note: "攻击组 All member in attack group", all non-goalkeeper players should be placed in the attack group.
(3) High growth, medium-high quality:
339 [速度][练习赛][攻击] [Quickness][Attacking][Match Practice] A balanced training (with a certain requirement for rapid improvement in CA)
CA growth: 35.72
Note: If there are many injuries or the player lacks of March-Sharpness, add several "[Recovery]".
(This is the one we recommended before.)
(4) very High growth , moderate quality:
331 [身体][练习赛][攻击][防守] [Physical][Match Practice][Attacking][Defending] If you need to increase the CA value as quickly as possible, use this .
CA growth: 39.62
Be sure not to forget the additional focus.
It's not possible to import files into FM 26.
But Match Review is only one session of that type, and the rest is either rest or recovery?
For a more relaxed career throughout the season, I developed two more models:
- The Light tactic, to be used when winning by more than 2 goals (the objective is to conserve energy and avoid injuries).
- and an ultra-defensive tactic, ideal for those last ten minutes where you think you might concede a goal at any moment against a much superior team. I rarely use it because I always arrive winning by more than two goals, but when I used it, it guaranteed the result. I'd have to test it more to see...
Using training schedule i posted a page or two back.
Just confirm it works on fm26
DC and Inside forward
All others got upgrade too
Line 87 offers this programming: Attack Quickness Mathpractice 7 Recovery
The numbers seem good.
Also, the screen shows a high risk of injury. If I add recovery, this bar decreases. So, should I keep the rest period or add some recovery (7x)?
I believe it's because the arrow is temporary. It only shows the variation over the last few months.
juliius said: Anyone know if there is a way to setup the auto rest thing for the youth teams? Might be missing something obvious, but i can't seem to find anywhere to do rest and double intensity settings for them
Click on "Squad," then the training card will appear. Tap the circle next to it until you reach the U19s. This will take you to the U19 training card, where you can access individual training and automatic rest.
So the schedule is based on what @GeorgeFloydOverdosed suggested. It is set up for a save where the matches are only played on wednesday and saturday. So this way i always get super rest on monday. And no matter whether the games are away or home all the training modules are done.
Also regarding whether to use rest or recovery, i've no clue in terms of if either option gives better training. Anecdotally though i seem to get less injuries when just using rest, maybe the extra superrest sometimes midweek does more than the supposed injury prevention from recovery sessions.
Is this the right topic? https://fm-arena.com/thread/15934-summary-of-recent-findings-for-optimal-play-in-fm24-amp-fm26/page-4/
I checked there too, and I'll repeat it here.
1 - You mention two training methods:
a) Quickness + 2 x Attacking + Match Practice + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods
b) Chance creation + Attacking + Aerial Defense + Handling + Defending from the front + Quickness + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods
Is the difference between them huge? Especially since it's difficult to have a professional level above 16 across the entire squad. So in FM 26, can I go with the first option?
2 - Is individual speed training worthwhile for players over 24? This is because, from experience, we see that speed or agility attributes only increase after that age, even with additional focus. Furthermore, the coach and the player themselves always complain and say it no longer has any effect. Is there any alternative to this, or is there a way to maintain speed?
1 - You mention two training methods:
a) Quickness + 2 x Attacking + Match Practice + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods
b) Chance creation + Attacking + Aerial Defense + Handling + Defending from the front + Quickness + Quickness focus (Agility for GK) + Rest for all remaining periods
Is the difference between them huge? Especially since it's difficult to have a professional level above 16 across the entire squad. So in FM 26, can I go with the first option?
2 - Is individual speed training worthwhile for players over 24? This is because, from experience, we see that speed or agility attributes only increase after that age, even with additional focus. Furthermore, the coach and the player themselves always complain and say it no longer has any effect. Is there any alternative to this, or is there a way to maintain speed?
I also realize that after 25 years old it's difficult to increase speed and acceleration attributes. Should we persist or try individual training in another area?
In FM 26, is Rest or Recovery better? Or is there not much difference?
When there are two games a week, what's the best schedule for FM 26?
1 offensive; 1 math practice + 1 acceleration and the rest rest or recovery? Or just one acceleration and the rest rest? Or what?
https://fm-arena.com/thread/16843-zaz-autumn-1-46/
Regarding super-rest (3 rest sessions on the same day). When the game is away (for example, on Sunday), it only allows two periods. Does it have the same effect? Or is it better to do the 3 rest sessions two days later (in this case, on Tuesday)? This is especially challenging in weeks with two games. In my case, practically the whole year is two games.
The most contradictory and counterintuitive finding is that putting your young players on after the 70th minute of the second half is useless for their development. That's rubbish if true, because that's exactly what I've been doing and many professional teams do with their young players to "give them playing time".
The other findings are obvious and certainly hold true, such as the fact that depending on age, keeping the player in the youth academy is important, the importance of matches, and the relevance of the league.
Full post: https://www.reddit.com/r/footballmanagergames/comments/1mdcrps/the_complete_guide_to_youth_intakes_training_and/
An important detail is to use set-piece frequencies, so as not to become too predictable; sometimes use short distribution, which is also effective and generates set-piece opportunities.
credits: https://www.fmscout.com/q-34198-Corner-routines.html
I got the short distribution from coffeehouseFM.
In that sense, wouldn't it be redundant to schedule rest after a match? This is because the starters will already be resting due to the setting, while the substitutes who need match fitness or training will also be resting. Therefore, wouldn't it be better to schedule a match practice the day after a game so that the substitutes can train?
That’s why setups heavy on Rest/Recovery can still work (as shown in community tests): they don’t block growth as long as players are playing matches and maintaining good training ratings, especially via Match Practice and focused individual training.
Physical attributes like Acceleration and Pace have high internal weight and strong diminishing returns: they are extremely efficient to raise when low, but very expensive near elite levels (around 16+), often slowing technical and mental growth. So the optimal approach is to prioritize physicals early, reach a competitive plateau, and then rebalance development rather than endlessly forcing them higher.
read more : https://fm-arena.com/find-comment/46547/
From this perspective, team training should be viewed less as a direct growth tool and more as a development support system. Since CA is generated mainly by matches, the ideal team training setup is one that maintains high training ratings, good condition, and a stable conversion environment without competing with the main growth source. That’s why efficient schedules heavily favor Recovery, Rest and Match Practice, especially in weeks with one or two matches. Recovery and Rest do not increase attributes, but they preserve condition, reduce hidden fatigue, and help keep training ratings high, which is essential for efficient CA conversion. Match Practice, meanwhile, simulates competitive exposure and acts as a bridge between matches and training, being particularly valuable for youngsters, rotation players, and one-match weeks. Highly specific sessions (defensive units, attacking units, set pieces, cohesion) serve tactical or situational purposes, but should not dominate the weekly structure when the main goal is physical development and sustainable CA growth.
Individual training is where real attribute prioritization happens, especially for physicals. Community testing consistently shows that Acceleration and Pace have disproportionate impact on match performance, which justifies focusing individual training on these attributes — particularly for young players with large PA–CA gaps. The key, however, is cost-efficiency: up to around 15–16 Acceleration/Pace, returns are excellent because the attributes are still below the practical ceiling and absorb CA efficiently. Beyond that point, diminishing returns apply: pushing Acceleration from 16 to 17 requires much more relative CA and often delays growth in technical and mental attributes. Therefore, the most efficient approach is to prioritize Acceleration and Pace early, reach a competitive plateau (~16), and then reduce intensity or switch individual focus to technical or mental attributes aligned with the player’s role. For veterans, the logic reverses: individual training serves primarily to maintain physicals and slow decline, not to generate growth, and should be kept at normal intensity, avoiding double intensity due to fatigue, injury risk, and reduced training ratings with little developmental return.
1 What CA is — and what it is not
Before talking about training, it’s essential to align concepts.
> CA (Current Ability) is an invisible internal value that represents a player’s current overall level.
> Attributes do not generate CA.
> Attributes do not directly “consume” CA.
The real engine flow is:
Matches + development context → CA gain → automatic distribution of CA into attributes
The most common misconception is thinking that:
> “Training creates attributes”
> “Attributes consume CA”
None of this happens directly.
What actually exists is conversion and allocation, not direct creation.
2 PA defines the ceiling — not the pace or the direction
PA (Potential Ability):
> does not generate attributes
> does not push growth
> does not guarantee development
PA only defines the maximum total ability budget a player can sustain.
Two players with the same PA can:
> grow at very different rates
> develop completely different profiles
> stagnate for different reasons
PA limits the budget — it does not decide where the budget is spent.
3 The PA–CA gap as the growth-rate engine
The larger the gap between PA and CA, the higher the potential growth rate per season.
Conceptual example:
> 18 years old, high PA, low CA → large reallocation margin
> 25 years old, high PA, already high CA → small margin
Even with similar matches and training:
> the first player grows fast
> the second grows very little
This “gap” is the structural space the engine has to work with.
4 Age: the silent multiplier
The same PA–CA gap produces different results depending on age:
> 16–19: very high conversion efficiency
> 20–23: strong growth, but more role-directed
> 24–26: punctual / selective growth
> 27+: residual growth, focus shifts to maintenance
Age does not block growth — it defines how expensive growth becomes.
5 The central role of matches in CA gain
The primary driver of CA gain is playing matches.
When a player:
> plays regularly
> receives good match ratings
> faces an appropriate competitive context (level, intensity, pressure)
matches generate CA.
This applies to:
> competitive matches
> friendlies
> Match Practice, which is one of the few training sessions that simulates real match experience
Without matches, CA growth is severely limited.
6 So what is training actually for?
This is the most misunderstood part of Football Manager.
Training does NOT create CA.
Training does NOT create attributes by itself.
Training exists to:
> increase the conversion rate of gained CA
> direct where that CA is allocated
> prevent efficiency loss during development
In practical terms:
> Players gain CA by playing
> If training rating / happiness / intensity tolerance is high:
> CA is efficiently distributed
> If training rating is low:
> part of the growth potential is wasted or diluted
Important:
CA is not stored waiting for training to improve.
If conversion conditions are poor, growth is simply less efficient.
7 What if a player performs well but trains poorly?
This is the critical scenario.
Situation:
> Player performs well in matches
> Has PA–CA space
> But has low training ratings
Result:
Matches still generate CA, However:
> attribute conversion is worse
> growth is slower
> part of the gain is internally diluted
In short:
playing is a necessary condition
training well is an efficiency condition
8 The “Chinese test” — and why it doesn’t contradict this
In the well-known Chinese community test:
Players:
> played many matches (competitive + friendlies)
> often two matches per week
Team training:
>almost entirely Rest / Recovery
Individual training:
> focused (e.g. Quickness)
Result:
players still developed significantly
Why? Because:
> CA came from matches
> Match Practice preserved competitive exposure
> Individual training ratings were high
> There was a large PA–CA gap
Light team training did not stop growth because:
> it was not supposed to create CA
> it simply did not interfere with conversion
This test shows that:
matches create growth opportunity, training determines how well that opportunity is used.
9 Match Practice: a special session
Match Practice deserves special attention.
It is one of the few sessions that:
> simulates real match conditions
> contributes to:
> experience
> match sharpness
> indirect CA generation
That’s why it is:
> extremely valuable
> especially in weeks with few matches or for developing youngsters
> It’s no coincidence it appears in almost every efficient training setup.
10 Why some attributes rise easily and others don’t
Here we reach the technical core.
The engine does not distribute CA equally.
Each attribute has a different internal weight.
“Expensive” attributes include:
> Acceleration
> Pace
> Strength
> Balance
They have:
high weighting
diminishing returns
11- Diminishing returns: the Acceleration case
Practical example:
Player with 8 Acceleration
Far below competitive standard
Very little CA (sometimes ~0.2) already converts into +1 Acceleration
Very fast development
Player with 16 Acceleration
Already elite-level
To reach 17:
requires much more CA (often close to 6 CA for +1)
gains are often:
diluted into other attributes
or take many weeks to “close” the point
Key point:
There is no fixed CA cost
There is a much higher CA requirement for the same +1
That’s why:
8 → 9 is cheap
16 → 17 is very expensive in efficiency terms
In other words:
the cost is not linear — it grows exponentially.
Hence:
focusing on physicals at low levels is extremely efficient
pushing already elite physicals consumes a large part of the invisible budget
“Acceleration up to 16 wins matches.
Above 17, it wins forum debates.”
Now the meaning is clear:
up to 16:
strong practical impact
still acceptable cost
above 16:
marginal on-pitch gain
disproportionate CA cost
slows technical and mental development
16 is a very strong competitive efficiency point.
Beyond that is theoretical optimization, not structural advantage.
12 Smart strategy: accelerate early, balance later
This leads to an advanced individual training decision:
Young players (16–21):
prioritize Quickness until ~15–16
excellent cost-benefit ratio
After that:
continuing to push Acceleration consumes too much relative CA
harms technical and mental growth
Solid strategy:
prioritize physicals early → stabilize → redirect
This is not “slowing development” — it’s optimizing CA distribution.
Final conclusions
Matches are the engine of growth
Training defines conversion efficiency
Match Practice is the key link between the two
CA is not created by training
Attributes do not directly “consume” CA
High physical attributes have diminishing returns
Training well doesn’t create growth — it amplifies it
Understanding this completely changes:
how you build training weeks
how you use individual training
how you develop youngsters
why sometimes “nothing grows” despite good performances
Playing a lot already creates development.
Training well defines where, how fast, and at what cost that development happens.
Those who understand this stop asking:
“What’s the best training?”
and start asking:
“Am I spending my invisible CA budget where it actually matters?”