Gaffer's Nations Trophy in the football manager – guide

Terms

Invitation

Arrives on the planning day. It is valid until matchday 2; if you decline or do not react, it passes to the next coach in your country (until matchday 5).

Squad

30 players with at least 3 goalkeepers, 11 defenders, 10 midfielders and 6 forwards - set once for the whole season.

Candidates

The 20 strongest players of your nationality per position. Anyone aged 33 or older is left out - they might retire mid-tournament.

Sub-position

More important than it looks: out of position a player performs at half strength, in his favourite role he gets +10.

Group stage

13 groups, everyone plays everyone once. Group winners and the three best runners-up reach the round of 16.

Good to know

• There is no partial squad: it only saves with exactly 30 players and every position at its minimum.
• If you confirm no squad by matchday 6, the AI picks one - and you lose the national team. The draw itself happens independently, back on the planning day.
• Fitness and morale from the club do not count here - the national coach has no influence over them.
• A player injured at his club cannot play. A club suspension, however, does not matter.
• Nobody gets injured in international matches, and red cards carry no suspension.
• You set your national team's line-up, play style and set-piece takers on the "Line-up" tab - one setup for the whole tournament.
• Every match has a replay and is visible to all coaches, even without a national team of their own.
• Caps and goals are counted separately from the club career and appear on the player detail page.