Although the most famous soccer games have always been the ones that let you jump onto the pitch and shoot goals, soccer management has always had its niche. In the ’90s there was the rivalry between PC Football and Championship Manager, but in 2005 a new game conquered the market. Football Manager has maintained this unrivaled dominance for more than a decade. Luckily, there are a number of alternatives in the Android ecosystem that let you manage soccer teams from your smart phone or tablet. Here are six free alternatives to Football Manager available now on Android.
Top Football Manager
Soccer management games on Android usually have the same features: creation of your own team, a few training options, a system of bidding on new players, and the option to choose simple tactics. They are all similar, and Top Football Manager is representative of this group. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just how these types of games play out. The gameplay is very entertaining, and the game has a nice 3D engine to watch your team play. [Download]
PES CLUB MANAGER
The epic saga of Pro Evolution Soccer puts on its training suit in this licensed strategy version of the full game. The real kicker is the incredible 3D engine for games, during which you can make certain strategic decisions in real time. In addition to managing your own team, you can also make improvements to your stadium and club facilities. These improvements let you train your players even further. [Download]
Online Soccer Manager
Don’t let the cartoony graphics put you off. This game is jam packed full of features, and even has the licenses of teams from the biggest leagues in the world. Not only can play the role of the trainer, you can also take control of other aspects like sponsorships and stadium expansion. It obviously doesn’t have the same level of detail as Football Manager, just like the rest of the games on the list, but it does deliver a fantastic experience to your smart phone. [Download]
Total Football Manager
Although the title isn’t very original, in an attempt to ride the coattails of the popular Sports Interactive series, this game takes an interesting approach. When you first create your team, you have to choose three key players (defense, center, and attack) to lead your squad. The rest of the team is randomly assigned. It has the same characteristics as other football management games on Android, and it features one of the best interfaces available. [Download]
Top Eleven 2018
This game is probably one of the best additions to our illustrious list. Top Eleven has been available on Android for a while now, but each new version has brought a plethora of new features. This version lets you establish much more precise tactics and lets you follow matches with tons of statistics. There are also 3 different ways to watch matches, just like in Football Manager. In the latest version Jose Mourinho guides the tutorial, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your allegiances. [Download]
Golden Manager
This game sponsored by Gerard Piqué creates a unique visual style by opting to use the the screen vertically. It’s a very entertaining title with licenses from real soccer players that lets you play against friends, similar to Fantasy League and others. [Download]
