Thats only cause I was the first to hit 2030 with this save. Also only played with people eligible to play for my country. When you have the best club team in the world and 19 of the 23 spots on the NT from your team it isn't that hard. Especially when everyone plays with everyone for at least 5 years.
Plus everyone else was able to do more with the national team faster than me. Took me to do stuff around 2026 (actually making the first tournament in 2028) while everyone else is doing it in 2020 or so. Plus I just got lucky and when my team was taken over it was by a tycoon so that helped a lot.
Last the challenge is fun and challenging. It does force you to do a different approach from bigger clubs, and you do have your up's and down's. Trust me I had mine. Plus it does work if you can get to Serie A fast enough, and luckily for me I only play with terrible teams so the lower leagues wasn't that bad for me. One of the worst team challenges I ever played as was A.D. Alcorcon last year in the Spanish League. Once you hit La LIga you have Real Madrid, Barcelona, and are getting pounded. At least with San Marino you had 3 years to build up to Serie A while there it was one (and the stadium is actually smaller than San Marino when you start and hit La Liga). I hope you enjoy it if you do play cause it is a fun challenge. It is going to be a long challenge as well.