Opinion | How China’s new-found focus on soccer affects the latest version of blockbuster game Football Manager
The latest iteration of the hugely popular football management simulation is released next week and the vast Chinese market is a target for the creators
Since starting out in a Shropshire bedroom in 1992, the football management simulation that came to be known as Football Manager has become a worldwide phenomenon.
The game gives every football fan the chance to prove what they are sure of: that they could do a better job in charge of their club than the manager.
But it appeals to more than hardcore fans, with many players being known to play the game. France stars Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann have both fuelled rumours of a move to Stamford Bridge after being photographed studying the Chelsea lineup on their laptops.
Dubbed by Vice “the world’s most influential video game”, the game engine has been used in training courses for real-life football managers, while the database has been put to use by various professional clubs over the years. Several addicts have got careers at professional clubs as scouts and analysts due to football knowledge built up on their computers.
It has inspired academic studies, stand-up comedy tours and the book Football Manager Ruined My Life. It has been the subject of two separate documentaries and more webspace than can be truly healthy.