LEGO Announces Frustratingly Small Foosball Table Set with Amazingly Large Figure Selection

I should probably set a cap on the number of Waterboy references I get to make in this post, because as a man in his 40s with a brain firmly stuck in the late 90s and early 00s, that’s where my brain goes. I’m going to try to limit myself to one… but I promise nothing.

When the rumor mill started flying yesterday that this announcement was coming, before any pictures were available, my brain went flying back to my college and many, many hours wasted in… let’s say less than fully sober states playing the game in my dorm. Fun fact, I’ve owned two Foosball tables in my life, and never assembled either of them. I don’t have either one anymore, as they were both “given away” without my knowledge by a family member while I was at college. I still play it every time I’m out somewhere and see it, have someone with me, and need to be reminded that I’m old (which isn’t all that often anymore).

This is… honestly, a confounding set to wrap your brain around. On the surface, it’s clearly a gorgeous little set. But… it’s also just so tiny. It really works! But it looks like it’d be so frustrating to play almost immediately. I mentioned in our Discord that it reminded me of the office gifts you get that are miniature versions of larger games, like darts, pool, or things like that. They’re fun for like… three minutes, then they go into a drawer until you’re asked to move desks (or pack for a pandemic) and go “oh yeah, this thing,” until the cycle repeats itself. So it’s likely more frustrating than fun to play, given it’s very small size.

The real raw of this this set, though, is in it’s absolutely massive minifigure collection, allowing you to swap out and customize your players. Always follow rule #2 of the internet and never read the comments, because everyone here at FBTB knows exactly how critical representation is and this set is an example of absolutely doing it right. Yeah, this is one of a very small number of “non-licensed” sets that opts for flesh tones instead of Yellow to do some of that, and you know what, that’s actually great.

For that person who’s going to go bang out the comment that “I’ve always seen Yellow as an inclusive color” – save yourself the time. First, you’re wrong. Second, no, seriously, you’re wrong. Third, let’s make some basic assumptions  – that you’re likely male, most likely American or from western Europe, probably light skinned, and have almost certainly been able to build something that approximates how you look in LEGO for a very long time.

Others have been asking for more, and inclusion, for a long time, and having a set out there that expands things for them hurts you in no way. So save us all the time from reading you rehash the same wrong thing over and over. Yellow minifigs are fine, and iconic, but “inclusive” they a’int. We’ve had both yellow and flesh-tone minifigs for years, even existing in the exact same time (the LEGO movies were a thing), everyone will be fine.

Clearly, while this represents a staple of dorm rooms, rec centers, and defunct arcades everywhere, it’s meant to really go after the football fans around the world (or, Soccer for those Americans who like to make fun of the sport more popular than all “American” sports combined – then cricket, then basketball, then hockey, interestingly).

The set comes with a stunning 22 minifigures, with different head and hair combos. Some highlights include one with hearing aids, a few with glasses, and probably the single coolest little touch, a figure with vitiligo. There is a downside of course, and that’s the cost… the set comes in at a hefty $249.99 US / £241.99 / €249.99. Even with 22 minifigures and 2339 parts, that’s a pretty big ask for a small set. It’s very cool that it’s fully functional, but it’s just too much in my mind. It feels like they could have brought the price down at least $50 to make this a far more attractive purchase.

21337 Table Football will be available starting on November 1st.

Here are the full details of the set, from the press release: