Foosball as a sport is becoming popular quite fast thanks to the increased amounts of attention that it is getting because of which more people are coming to know about it. Earlier, foosball was just known as a game and people did not think much of it because after all, it had a humble appearance of a tabletop board game.
In any game of foosball, the objective is to move the foosball rods such that the foosball men are moved to hit the ball and advance it towards the opponent’s goal. However, there is a slight possibility of someone who is extremely new to the game shooting the ball into their own goal once, perhaps they are a new player or they just miss a shot that ends up going back into their own goal.
Can You Score on Yourself in Foosball?
The short answer: Yes you can score on yourself in foosball. Like in most other sports you can make your own goal in foosball. That is to official rules. But I casual play you can decide for yourself.
Foosball can be played in two ways casual or competitive. Casual foosball is one of the most relaxing and entertaining ideas for a good weekend time with your friends or buddies, but for competitive gaming, it’s a completely different scenario. When it comes to competitive play, however, the rules are fixed in stone, and neither you nor any other player can change them at that.
So, the rules that you would follow when playing foosball depends really about the context you are playing it in. Casual games of foosball are liberal with everything including spinning of foosball rods not being a penalty option if the players who are together playing the game are fine by it.
However, if you do wish or dream to become a foosball player who can play in the competitive leagues, then you need to be clear inside out with the game’s rules and ensure that you do not break any rule yourself.
Many foosball enthusiasts, such as yourself, may have questions from time to time regarding the sport. This could include anything from how to select foosballs to whether you can use golf balls in foosball.
In this article, we shall be addressing a common question that most of us may have had at least once while playing the game or watching a match of foosball being played which is can you score on yourself in foosball?
The outcome of this incident would be quite different depending on whether you are playing the game with your friends or you are playing it in the tournament where hundreds and perhaps thousands of people have paid money to come and watch your performance.
Scoring on yourself? Why?
It is the basic premise of any game or sport that you cannot do anything that will make you give points to yourself effectively because it’s illogical and nonsensical. So, it does not matter whether you are playing soccer and end up kicking the ball into your goal or shooting the foosball past your own goalie, the result would almost certainly always be that this way, you end up giving points to your opponents.
Could Using Golf Balls in Foosball Lead to Scoring on Yourself?
Using golf balls for foosball is not recommended as it can lead to scoring on yourself. The smaller size and weight of the golf ball make it harder to control and can easily result in accidental self-goals. It’s best to stick to using standard foosballs for the game.
Are There Different Rules in Tournaments vs. Casual Matches?
Yes. When it comes to foosball, the context or situation decides everything; it is possible that when you are playing with your friends, even spinning the rods or hitting your goalpost are actions that are considered as permissible since you are only playing the game for fun and nothing else.
However, in any scenario where money or rewards are involved in some form or the other, there is a good chance that there would be relatively strict rules that you shall have to follow if you do not want to be disqualified from the matches.
When it comes to the official tournaments or matches, however, every action is monitored, and you can be very well penalized or disqualified depending on the nature of your offense in the game.
So, let’s see how would trying to score on yourself work for casual and competitive matches of foosball.
Scoring on Yourself in Casual Matches.
In casual matches of foosball, anything is permissible as long as all of you and your friends are fine with it. For example, if you say that scoring on yourself by hitting the ball into your goalpost is permissible, then it is.
You can even play a game with your buddies where both sides only use their goalies and whoever scores higher wins!
Additionally, it is to be noted that casual matches of foosball are not considered as the game by itself because it is merely a pass-time or recreational activity, so literally, anything is acceptable as long as nobody in the group protests against it.
So in short you are able to make your own rules when playing Casual Matches just make sure that all players are agreeing on he rules before it happens, that way no one is going to end up in a discussion.
Scoring on Yourself in Competitive Matches.
When it comes to playing foosball competitively, the rules are set by the international organization known as International Table Soccer Federation or ITSF. ITSF is responsible for setting the rules by which the sport is meant to be played.
So, if you are planning to play foosball competitively, maybe because of the money and popularity or simply because you enjoy the game, you need to know the rulebook put together by ITSF inside out.
As per ITSF, any effort or moment whether intentional or unintentional wherein you end up hitting the foosball into your goalpost, your opponent gets a point for the same. This rule stands without exceptions, and in any professional foosball match, this rule is applicable and is followed.
So, thinking of trying to score on yourself is a big “NO” at least when you are willing or eager to play foosball on the professional front.
Regardless, it may be a case or scenario that you enjoy pushing the foosball right into your goal for whatever reason.
Maybe you just want to irritate your partner?
Maybe you just want to irritate the other team that’s trying to have a fair game?
Maybe you just don’t care about the rules of foosball?
It doesn’t matter. Whatever your reason is, a rule of thumb would be to assume that there’s no such thing such as trying to “score on yourself” in no matter what game or sport you are taking part in. The only time or chance where you will score points is when you shoot the foosball into the opponent’s goalpost.
All we ask you to do is that you respect the professional ethics of foosball as a sport and try playing the game fairly to ensure that you play the game with sportsmanship to avoid any unnecessary hassle or arguments between you and the other players.
As long as you are playing casually, it’s fine. However, the moment your team gets serious, you need to get serious, too. Scoring on yourself is quite an amateurish move and should be avoided.
So, please play foosball with sincerity, and the game will reward you for the same!