FM26 Rui Borges Sporting CP 4-2-3-1 | Control Possession Recreation (Patreon)

This is my FM26 recreation of Rui Borges’ Sporting CP, built around a 4-2-3-1 Control Possession structure with aggressive wide rotations, a strong central attacking connection and a very productive centre-forward.

The objective was not simply to create another high-intensity meta tactic. I wanted to reproduce the main structure and then adapt it to the FM26 engine without removing the identity of the system.

Season Results

🏆 Portuguese Premier League champions🏆 Portuguese Cup winners🏆 Portuguese League Cup winners🏆 Portuguese Super Cup winners🥈 Champions League runners-up

Sporting completed the domestic sweep, winning every available Portuguese competition, while also reaching the Champions League final before losing 3-0 against Barcelona.

Overall Solo-Shot Record

🎮 59 matches played✅ 48 wins🤝 3 draws❌ 8 defeats⚽ 180 goals scored🥅 51 goals conceded📈 +129 goal difference📊 81% win percentage🏆 4 trophies won

Every match was played in 3D.

No vacation.No in-game editor.No save and reload.

League Performance

Sporting finished the league season with:

🏆 89 points⚽ 107 goals scored🥅 22 goals conceded📈 +85 goal difference📊 29 wins from 34 matches🎯 62% average possession

The underlying numbers were also extremely strong:

→ 92.71 xG→ 24.98 xGA→ 79.97 xPTS

The team scored over 14 goals more than its expected-goal total, while also conceding fewer goals than expected.

This was not possession without purpose. Sporting combined control with a high attacking output, averaging 3.1 goals per match and 23.7 shots per game in the league.

Champions League Run

Sporting finished 8th in the Champions League league phase, securing direct qualification for the knockout stage.

The league-phase record was:

✅ 5 wins❌ 3 defeats⚽ 19 goals scored🥅 12 goals conceded📊 15 points

The team then continued all the way to the final.

The European run ended against Barcelona, but reaching the Champions League final while also completing the domestic sweep made this one of the strongest complete seasons I have played in FM26.

How the Tactic Plays

The base shape is a 4-2-3-1, but the attacking structure is deliberately asymmetric.

Maximiliano Araújo pushes aggressively from the left, allowing Geovany Quenda to attack more centrally. On the opposite side, Iván Fresneda provides a more controlled presence behind Geny Catamo.

Morten Hjulmand protects the structure and helps circulate possession, while João Simões connects the defensive and attacking units.

Pedro Gonçalves operates centrally behind the striker and becomes the main creative reference. The wide attackers move inside around him, creating several central passing options without completely abandoning the width.

Luis Suárez leads the line, attacks the box and provides the final reference for a system that creates chances through both patient possession and quick combinations around the penalty area.

Key Player Performances

Luis Suárez

⚽ 59 goals🎯 14 assists⭐ 7.41 average rating

Suárez was the main finisher and produced an exceptional season as the central striker.

Geovany Quenda

⚽ 20 goals🎯 22 assists⭐ 7.60 average rating

Quenda finished with the highest average rating in the squad and consistently created danger from the left side.

Pedro Gonçalves

⚽ 31 goals🎯 35 assists⭐ 7.54 average rating

Pote was the tactical centre of the system. His combination of goals and creativity made him one of the most important players in the entire solo shot.

Geny Catamo

⚽ 16 goals🎯 21 assists⭐ 7.45 average rating

Geny provided another reliable source of production from the opposite flank.

Maximiliano Araújo

⚽ 11 goals🎯 23 assists⭐ 7.34 average rating

Araújo’s aggressive movement from the left wing-back position was fundamental to the attacking structure.

Final Assessment

This recreation produced both control and attacking volume.

Sporting averaged 62% possession in Portugal, scored 107 league goals, won all four domestic trophies and reached the Champions League final.

The most interesting part was the distribution of the attacking output. The tactic did not depend only on the striker. Pote, Quenda, Geny and Araújo all contributed heavily, which shows how effectively the structure created connections across the entire front line.

It is still a recreation and adaptation, not a tactic created only to exploit the engine. However, the final performance was much stronger than I originally expected.

Package Contents

📁 FM26 tactic file💾 Complete save-game file🖼️ Season results and player-stat screenshots🎥 TI and PI mini-video for console players📊 Full tactical and performance overview

Thank you for supporting the project.