Remembering some of the worst football games ever made
Although watching the Old Firm Derby and taking in an Italian derby is an attractive proposition for football fans, sometimes there's a need to switch off from the real world of football and relax with a virtual gaming escapade. Football games have generally always delivered, although there are some examples where they definitely haven't.
These days, the football games fans can access on a huge selection of gaming devices are mightily impressive. From Football Manager 2024 and online blackjack games like DraftKings Soccer Blackjack to EA Sports FC 25 and eFootball 2024, there are so many standout releases to get through. We've also been exposed to some undoubted flops over the years, though, with these horrific games failing to hit the mark with football lovers. Let's remember some of them below.
O'Leary Manager 2000
David O'Leary's time in charge of Leeds United was a bit of a mixed bag, but when things were going well, it led to the creation of games like O'Leary Manager 2000. Certainly not a rival of any Football Manager release, the game was as bad as O'Leary's demise at the Yorkshire giants. A hybrid management and simulation title, there was nothing that made it thrive in a competitive football gaming market at the time. It contained terrible sound effects and graphics, the game's management aspect was embarrassingly limited, and training was horrific. A release that felt like it took days to make, O'Leary Manager 2000 was terrible.
Soccer Kid
Playable on a range of gaming devices, Soccer Kid offered absolutely nothing to football fans. Seemingly trying to replicate the success of the Mario games, but with a football feel to it, the game failed spectacularly. It offended many due to its racial stereotypes, the title's graphics were basic, and there were ridiculous bosses to overcome that simply brought nothing to the game. In the title, players had to win pieces of the World Cup trophy from various planets in an attempt to bring them all together in time for the 1994 World Cup final. Yes, it really was that bad.
Brian Clough's Football Fortunes
Brian Clough is one of the sport's great characters and most memorable managers, but the video game that was created in his name was horrendous. A Commodore 64 release, Brian Clough's Football Fortunes was clearly nothing more than a cash grab when Clough became a household name. It turned out to be an undoubted failure, with an odd board game offering that was accompanied by fake money that players had to play at the same time as the game on their consoles. It just didn't work.
Emlyn Hughes International Soccer
Accessible to play on the Amiga, Emlyn Hughes International Soccer was easily one of the console's worst-ever football products. Numerous issues hindered the game's progress, with bugs putting a lot of fans off from purchasing it. Throw in the fact that gamers found it almost impossible to score and the title's graphics were shoddy, and it's fair to say Emlyn Hughes International Soccer was a disaster.
Matthias Sammer Soccer
A great player in his day and a respected coach when he did eventually decide to hang up his boots, German legend Matthias Sammer had a game dedicated to him and his exploits in the sport. Called Matthias Sammer Soccer, the Game Boy release wasn't as memorable as his illustrious career, though. It was painfully slow, the graphics were appalling, the game's clunky menu system was embarrassingly bad, and player movements just weren't realistic at all. Much like the rest of the football gaming community, Matthias Sammer surely can't have been happy with it.
