The Beauty of Table Football

Subbuteo Close Up: The Beauty of Table Football is a collection of essays that takes you down to pitch level and the wonderful world of association football played in miniature. The book has been lovingly researched, with photos specially curated to bring to life the amazing world of Subbuteo.

Subbuteo Close Up: The Beauty of Table Football takes you down to pitch level and the wonderful world of association football played in miniature.

Invented in 1946, for decades Subbuteo was the must-have toy for millions of boys. When real football couldn't be played they would retire to their bedroom floors and kitchen tables to play the next best thing.

Over the years, as the game developed, it wasn't just games they built but stadiums and a whole world of imagination. Then, like most childhood obsessions, it faded with age, and collections were discarded, sold or at best consigned to lofts and garages.

Then, during the Covid-19 lockdowns something amazing happened: people rediscovered their childhood love of the game. Collecting restarted, teams were painted and some even built the stadium they had wanted as a child. A whole cottage industry grew up around the hobby.

Subbuteo Close Up has been lovingly researched with photos specially curated to bring to life this amazing world of football in miniature.