From FM Gods to Forgotten Men: The Curious Case of the Zivkovič Twins Who Never Were

Let me take you back to my FM19 PSV Eindhoven save – the summer of 2019 when I pulled off what might be the most underrated double signing in my Football Manager history: Richairo Zivkovič and Andrija Zivkovič. No relation, just pure coincidence that these two Balkan talents (one Dutch, one Serbian) would become the backbone of my Eredivisie domination.

Richairo Zivkovič (then 19) was my left-wing revelation. Signed for just €2.5m from Groningen, he played like a man possessed. That 17 Acceleration with 15 Finishing made him unstoppable cutting inside from the left. First season: 24 goals, 11 assists across all competitions. He’d either score a banger from outside the box or make those perfectly timed runs to tap in crosses. I still remember his hat-trick against Ajax in the 4-1 Klassieker win – absolute scenes!

Then there was Andrija Zivkovič (21 at the time), my €4m steal from Benfica. Deployed as my Mezzala on attack, his 16 Passing, 17 Vision and ‘Tries Killer Balls Often’ trait made him the perfect creative hub. Ended the season with 7 goals and 18 assists, including a ridiculous 35-yard free kick against Feyenoord. The way he’d drift wide right before delivering inch-perfect crosses… chef’s kiss.

What made them so special was how perfectly they complemented each other. Richairo’s direct running created space for Andrija to operate, while Andrija’s creativity consistently put Richairo in dangerous positions. Their chemistry was so good I had to create a special ‘Zivkovič Connection’ training routine just to maximize it.

The irony? While they were carrying my PSV to back-to-back titles and a Champions League crown in the game, real life had different plans. Richairo bounced around Belgium and Israel before ending up in China, never quite reaching those FM heights. Andrija now with Paok in Greece, had a decent career at Benfica but never became that world-class playmaker my FM version was.

Still, for that one glorious virtual season, the Zivkovič duo were unstoppable. Proof that sometimes FM just knows a player’s potential better than real life does. To this day, whenever I see a player with good attributes at a mid-table club, I think: ‘Could this be the next Zivkovič?’