There are direct successors to the apostles...they are called Popes/Catholic Bishops.
Only in the Catholic Church fantasies and made up history.
But neither the Pope nor the bishops are apostles (properly so-called) themselves. They are the apostles’ successors because the bishops were originally appointed by the apostles and derive their authority from them through a chain of valid ordinations. The apostles per se all either knew Jesus in-the-flesh on earth, or were personally chosen by him; in most cases, both.