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How to play Dream XI

A slot machine of football history: draft five players from random clubs and decades, and see if your squad can win every game of a season.

Last updated: October 24, 2026

The idea

Dream XI is a quick football draft game. You build an all-time 5-a-side, one pick at a time, from clubs and decades chosen by a slot machine. Then your team plays a 38-game season. Go unbeaten and you've built a dream team; go 38-0 and you've built a legend.

A round

The slot machine spins a club (16 big clubs) and a decade (the 1990s to the 2020s).
You draft one player from that club in that decade into one of your five slots: goalkeeper, defender, two midfielders and a forward.
The same person can't be picked twice, even from another club or decade.
Each game you get one club skip and one decade skip: each re-spins just that reel when you don't like it.

How your squad is scored

Your five players give your team three scores: Attack, Creativity and Defense. Your overall Power is 60% the average of the three and 40% the weakest one, so a hole anywhere in the team hurts. A brilliant attack with no defence won't get far.

The season

Your team then plays 38 matches against opponents getting gradually weaker. Each result depends on your Power, a little form, and the opponent's strength. The same squad always gets the same season, so results are fair to compare with friends. Only a near-perfect squad wins all 38.

Modes

Classic: new random spins each game.
Daily challenge: everyone gets the same spins that day. Your first result is saved and can be shared as an emoji grid.
Blind mode 🙈: ratings are hidden while you draft and revealed at the end. A real test of your football knowledge.
1 vs 1 online: share a 4-letter code with a friend. You both get the same spins, watch each other's picks live, and finish with a final between your two squads.

Tips

Fill your weakest line first. Because the weakest score counts for 40%, a good defender matters as much as a great forward.
Save your skips. Use them on a spin that has no good player for the slots you still need, not on the first decent one.
Think about the slot, not just the player. A world-class midfielder is worth less if your goalkeeper slot ends up with a weak keeper.

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