Foosball Styles

To say there are three distinct foosball styles is akin to classifying tennis by its three different surfaces. Hard courts, grass courts, and clay courts all have a dramatic effect on the speed of the game and how the ball moves, and this is also the case with foosball playing surfaces. But with foosball, the differences go beyond the playing surface. Different foosball styles also call for different types of balls and foosball men.

French Foosball
The French style of foosball is a slow, sticky game that can be considered the clay court of foosball tables. If American foosball in the yin, French foosball is its yang. The French style is played on a soft linoleum surface, which gives it a tacky feel. It features heavy foosball men and a soft and light cork foosball, which grips well to the playing surface. This results in a style of play that rewards finesse.

With such grip between foosball and playing surface, shots and passes can be especially creative. Every option and fake becomes possible with this kind of ball control. This patient, deliberate style of play resembles the way many teams play real soccer. It took some time for the U.S. to embrace French foosball, but since the original French Bonzini foosball table was made available in 2000, its popularity has risen steadily.

German Foosball
Since the name foosball is German in origin, many enthusiasts consider this to be the true foosball style. Ball control characterizes the German style. This can be considered the grass court of foosball tables. The foosball men, the playing surface, and the foosball itself are softer, which offers improved feel and precise maneuverability of the ball even when it is pinned between the foosball man and the playing surface.

High precision shots such as bank shots and reverse shots are common in German style foosball. This style of play crossed into the mainstream in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s with the introduction of the Tournament Soccer brand foosball tables.

Room for All Styles
Each of these foosball tables has its own professional tournaments, as do Belgian and Italian styles. But these are the big three. No matter which foosball style you prefer, one thing is certain: each is distinct enough to ensure that it will have a strong following for many years to come.