Everybody who has played it will admit that Football Manager (FM) is one of the most addictive games of all time.Many of us spent countless hours playing FM and its predecessor Championship Manager (CM) during our younger years.Time that should have been spent revising for exams was instead used on trying to win virtual silverware with the legends like Tonton Zola Moukoko, Cherno Samba and Richard Pacquette.The game even featured an ‘Addictiveness Rating’ depending on how long your save was.This included amusing sentences like ‘Time to order another takeaway pizza’, ‘Your relationship has expired’ and ’Turning your underwear inside out saves on washing’.

Who holds the record for longest Football Manager game?

But if you sometimes feel bad about the amount of time you spent playing CM/FM, here’s someone who might make you feel less guilty.

Sepp Hedel is the man who currently holds the Guinness World Record for the longest Football Manager game - and his stats are seriously impressive.

The German broke the record in October 2019 after reaching his 333rd(!) season in the game.

This equated to 1,940 hours of real-world play time - or 80 full days!

Sepp started the FM save in December 2017 while working in Africa away from his friends and family. Rather than reading books or learning a new language, he decided to set his sights on breaking a record on his favourite video game.

"The majority of the in-game years I played in Africa. When you are far away from home you don't have much impact on what's going on at home," he told Guinness World Records.

"I played Football Manager since 2015, so it was something familiar and the game helped me to distract and keep occupied.”

His progress was limited once he returned to Germany but Sepp still found time every day to continue playing matches.

He continued: “Due to my job, I was only at home on weekends. But I still had some time after work to play few hours a day."

The Guinness World Record’s rules state that players are unable to pad out their game time by taking virtual holiday. A maximum of five per cent can be taken as vacation; however, Sepp didn’t take any.

"The game always challenges you and I always developed new goals, so in-game vacation was not an option,” he insisted. “You do not win the UEFA Champions League while chilling on the beach."

Remarkably, Sepp only managed three different clubs during his 333-season career on Football Manager 2017.

"My favourite part of the game was to develop smaller clubs, so I started with FC United of Manchester who had their first Premier League win in 2037 after six second places! That was a special moment,” he said.

"After 50 years in Manchester I had won everything, so I decided to try something new and signed with Bengaluru FC of India. This was a totally different style of play. You don't get millions due to advertising and TV rights, and you can't sign more than four foreign players, so I developed young players to achieve my goals.

"Eventually I returned to the Premier League with Hereford FC in 2277. However, I realised how insanely strong I developed FC United and it was even harder to beat my former club, but I finally managed to in 2289."

"Since every club was unique, I do not have a favourite. But shout out to Hereford FC."

Sepp Hedel's Football Manager record

After 333 seasons, this was Sepp’s impressive overall record:

Played: 15,678
Won: 11,217
Drawn: 1,997
Lost: 2,464
Scored: 42,672
Conceded: 15,563
Goal difference: +27,109
Win ratio: 71%
Cups: 729
League titles: 258
Promotions: 10
Individual awards (Manager of the Month, Manager of the Season, etc.): 1,028

He has also signed 684 players for a combined fee of £9.41 billion and sold 491 with a combined total fee of £8.65 billion.

Perhaps a few real life clubs should consider picking up the phone and giving him a call.

But what were Sepp’s most memorable moments and achievements from his record-breaking FM save?

"I think the first win against the big clubs Manchester City and Manchester United with FC United of Manchester was very special. Of course, the first Premier League title and the first win of the UEFA Champions League against Atletico Madrid in 2037 was also a big deal too,” he added.

"Furthermore, to build the biggest stadium in India - the Hedel-Arena with 86,250 seats in 2257 - and to reach the AFC Champions League semi-final 2075, 2246 and 2255, were all great achievements for an Indian club."

And on earning himself a place in the Guinness World Records, Sepp said: "It feels good to have one's own efforts rewarded with a result."