3 Best Football Manager Challenges

Football Manager 2023 will go down in history as one of the finest installments in the beloved franchise. However, as a brand new elite European footballing season gets underway, it brings with it the dawn of a new era. A brand-new addition to the series will be released in the coming months, and FM23 will be consigned to the history books.

No one can deny that Sports Interactive’s finest creation has pioneered the sports management simulation game genre. Football Manager decimated its rivals such as LMA Manager and Championship Manager throughout the 2000s and now, it is the only viable football management game on the market. As such, game producers have had to turn their attention to other sports to gain a foothold in the market.

Last year we saw Formula One release its first-ever management game F1 Manager 2022, and it has recently released its highly anticipated sequel. Umix Studios has also attempted to capitalise on the lucrative genre with their creation of Pro Basketball Manager, which allows players to manage their favourite franchises from all over the world. The NBA odds at the present make the Denver Nuggets the +475 favourites to retain the title they won so impressively earlier in the year, however, players now have the ability to shape their own destiny and potentially usurp the Colorado outfit, virtually at least.

Football Manager players will tell you that upsetting the odds is nothing new when it comes to management games, and before FM24 hits the shelves, we’re here to provide you with three must-try challenges to end your time on FM23 with a bang.

Pentagon Challenge

The Pentagon Challenge is the oldest trick in the football manager booklet. However, don’t be mistaken, just because it’s the oldest and most popular, don’t think it’s going to be easy. In fact, it’s anything but.

With the Pentagon Challenge, budding managers must start a new game and create a new manager. Your manager must have the lowest level of qualifications and reputation. From there, the aim is to conquer the planet.

The aim of the game is to win the Champions League on each continent, and then, if that wasn’t hard enough, you must win the World Cup at the end of it. However, it’s going to take a while to get there, as you are hardly going to be flooded with offers when you start your journey, if you don’t impress in your first job, chances are you won’t get another.

Paris-Berlin-Rome Challenge

Paris is recognized for its enthralling charm, fashion, and past. With famous sites like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, and Notre Dame Cathedral, it is a city of everlasting beauty.  Germany’s political and cultural capital, Berlin, has a rich and intriguing history that is filled with wonderful music, art, and culture. Rome, often known as the “Eternal City,” personifies a long history infused with culture, art, and stunning architecture.

When one thinks of Europe, one will probably think of one of these three cities. But what is the one thing they all have in common? No football club from any of these three iconic cities has ever lifted the UEFA Champions League.

That’s where you come in. However, you’re not just going to become an icon in one city, you’re going to become the king (or queen) of all three.

Your best bet is starting with Paris Saint-Germain. Despite making it to the quarterfinals just twice in the last seven years, the Parisians are always considered contenders. And on FM23, they have a strike force of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Neymar.

Once the famous ‘Big-Eared’ trophy has made its way to the City of Lights, all roads lead to Rome. Take over as manager of either Roma or Lazio and attempt to lead them to a maiden triumph.

Finally, you will head to Berlin, and their two major teams Union and Hertha are hardly heavyweights. It will be hard work taking the title to one of these two outfits, with some tactical nouse and a bit of luck along the way, we’re sure you’ll manage.

The Journeyman

Finally, we have the Journeyman, and in our eyes, this challenge it s the most fun. The aim of the game is to manage as many clubs as possible all in different countries. As soon as you have won the top division in each country, resign and wait for your next offer. The challenge was designed around the likes of former England manager Roy Hodgson, who managed in Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, and Finland throughout his long and storied career.

This challenge isn’t for the sentimental and is somewhat cutthroat. You may not have quite finished building your team as you would have liked to or, you may have fallen in love with your squad during your tenure there. That all counts for naught once the top flight is won, however, and you must move on to your next challenge as soon as possible. Like the Pentagon, you must start unemployed and with the lowest selection for both qualifications and reputation.