In our NewsFlash of Tuesday 17 September we told of players gathering in Tunbridge Wells leisure centre for a tournament of inch-high players with big dreams of winning the Subbuteo World Cup.
Sadly, Subbuteo echoed England’s real World Cup fortunes. According to a late evening (around 11 pm) report in The Sunday Times, England once again failed to live up to expectations and crashed out of the World Cup quarter-finals in a controversial defeat to Italy.
But the team can hold its head high — even if the players are only an inch tall, Italy has long been regarded as the giant of Subbuteo.
Around 300 competitors from 26 countries, including Tunisia, Singapore and Ukraine, converged on Tunbridge Wells in Kent to push plastic figures across an astroturf pitch with their fingernails.
England’s hopes early in the competition looked good as Austria were swept aside 4-0 in a play-off after the group stage to reached the quarter-finals against Italy.
In the quarter-final, the Three Little Lions flicked off in style to take a lead – but struck controversy later in the first half. Kaspar Bennett believed he had scored to take a 2-0 lead in this match. As Bennett celebrated, he did not see the Maltese referee wagging his finger to rule that the entire ball had not crossed the line. With no video replay, Bennett had to accept the decision.
And here’s a prize comment under the Times piece: “Where’s VAR when you need it?”
Finally, congratulations to Christian Filippella of the USA, WINNER of the Subbuteo World Cup 2024.
More details to follow.
