If you are reading this, you likely fall into one of two categories. Either you are a veteran gamer who spent the early 2000s glued to a 15-inch CRT monitor, shouting at 2D dots, or you are a curious newcomer wondering why a simulation game from 2001 still has a cult following two decades later.
For the uninitiated, Championship Manager 01/02 (often abbreviated as CM 01/02) is widely considered the greatest football management simulation ever made. It is the perfect storm of addictive gameplay, a golden era of football talent, and a database so famously well-researched that it predicted future Ballon d’Or winners.
But there is a number that echoes through the forums, Reddit threads, and fan sites like a secret password: 3968. championship manager 01 02 best players 3968
If you want to build an invincible squad in three seasons, here is your cheat sheet.
| Position | Player Name | Club | Cost (Approx) | Why they are great | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Goalkeeper | Sebastian Svärd | F.C. Copenhagen | £300k | Young, cheap, becomes world class by 2004. | | Goalkeeper | Costanzo | River Plate | £5M | The best shot-stopper in the game. 20s in key areas. | | Left Back | John Arne Riise | Monaco | £8M | Insane long throws, free kicks, and crossing. | | Center Back | Naldo (RSC Anderlecht) | Brazil U20s | £1M | 6'6", high jumping, scores 10-15 goals from corners. | | Center Back | Isaac Okoronkwo | Shakhtar Donetsk | £3M | Nigerian brick wall. Pace + Strength. | | Right Back | Mike Duff | Cheltenham | £500k | The speed demon. | | DM / CM | Mark Kerr | Falkirk | £500k | The engine room. | | CM / AM | Kim Källström | Hacken | £1.8M | Long shots and passing. | | LM / RM | Andrés D’Alessandro | River Plate | £4M | The "Little Headmaster." Dribbling 20. | | AM / FC | Julius Aghahowa | Shakhtar Donetsk | £3M | Pace, finishing, acrobatic goals. | | Striker | Maxim Tsigalko | Dinamo Minsk | £1M | The goal record destroyer. | | Striker | Tó Madeira | Free Agent | £0 | The ultimate cheat code. | If you are reading this, you likely fall
CM 01/02 originally shipped with a database version often referred to as 3.9.68 after the final official patch. However, the “3968” in community lore means the original 3.9.68 database before any fan edits — where certain players (like Mark Kerr, To Madeira, Taribo West, Kim Källström) had absurdly low release clauses, phenomenal attributes for their age, or were free agents.
Note: To Madeira is a known fictional player added by a tester, but he’s part of the 3968 legend. Note: To Madeira is a known fictional player
The 3968 database is famous for capturing future legends before they were famous. If you want longevity, sign these teenagers immediately: