Gran DT or online football manager: what’s the difference?

In Argentina, when someone says “DT game”, they almost always mean Gran DT. But there’s another kind of game for those who fancy themselves as managers: the football manager. They may sound the same, but they’re not. In this piece, we explain the difference between a fantasy game like Gran DT and an online football manager like ELDT, so you know which one is for you, or why it’s worth playing both.

What a fantasy game like Gran DT is

Gran DT is the best-known football fantasy game in Argentina. The idea is straightforward:

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1. You build a team with real players from the Liga Profesional, within a budget.
2. Every matchday, your players earn points based on what they do out on the real pitch: goals, clean sheets, good performances.
3. You compete against other players to see who racks up the most points in the competition.

You choose who plays, but you don’t affect the match: the result is decided by what happens in real football.

What a football manager is

In a football manager game, you are the manager and the club chairman. You’re not picking real-world stars to score points: you run a whole club, with its squad, stadium and finances.

• You choose the tactics, formation and starting XI.
• You decide how the squad trains each week.
• You buy and sell players in a market against other managers.
• You manage the finances: wages, sponsors, gate receipts, stadium improvements.
• The match is played by a simulator, and your decisions really do change the result.

If you want the full breakdown, we’ve got a guide to what an online football manager is.

Gran DT vs manager: the key differences

• Players: in Gran DT they are real; in a manager game they’re game players, with attributes and their own careers.
• Influence on the result: in Gran DT, none, because it depends on the real match; in a manager, everything, because your tactics and squad decide the game.
• Length: Gran DT lasts as long as the tournament; in a manager game your club carries on season after season.
• What you build: in Gran DT, a team for each tournament; in a manager game, a club that grows, gets promoted and builds its own story.
• Rivals: in Gran DT you compete for points; in a manager game you play matches against other managers.

ELDT: the manager game for Gran DT players

ELDT is a free online Argentine football manager. If you like Gran DT because it makes you feel like the boss, ELDT gives you what fantasy doesn’t: your decisions shape the match.

• You take over a club from the Argentine lower leagues and try to take it as high as possible, in a pyramid of 23 divisions.
• The league is played Thursday and Saturday at 21, and the Copa ELDT on Tuesdays at 21, with live matches and minute-by-minute commentary.
• There’s a transfer market by auction, loans, academy, stadium, sponsors and a budget to keep an eye on.
• You face other real managers, and you can set up a league with friends.
• It’s not pay to win: real money doesn’t buy players or points.

Can I play both?

Yes, and plenty of people do. Gran DT is played with real football at the weekend; ELDT is played on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. They don’t clash: one makes you watch the league with different eyes, and the other lets you be the real manager.

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Frequently asked questions

Is ELDT like Gran DT?

Not exactly. Gran DT is a fantasy game with real players who score points for what they do on the pitch. ELDT is a manager game: you run a whole club and your decisions determine the result of the match.

Does ELDT use real players?

No. ELDT has its own players, with attributes, careers and potential, in a pyramid of lower-league clubs.

Is ELDT free?

Yes. You sign up, get a club and play the full game without paying.

Is there an Argentine football fantasy game that lasts all year?

In a fantasy game, your team lasts as long as the tournament. If you want a club that keeps going and grows season after season, what you’re looking for is a manager game like ELDT.

Choose your club and start playing for free →