Team GB have won the international foosball World Series after knocking out Germany… on penalties!
Foosball, or table football, is one of the fastest-growing indoor sports globally and the UK Senior team recently travelled to Austria to take on the world’s best.
Steve Edwards, who has been playing for Team GB for over a decade, said: “It was one of the toughest tournaments we have ever played in, we were there last year and came third but we didn’t think we would improve on it, but as it happens, we did.
“When we scored the winning goal, I sobbed, I walked away and sobbed, I’m just a big kid really! It was fought for over a solid four days.”
Although they are the world champions, foosball is by no means their only trick of the trade. Steve Edwards is an electrician in Cheshire and runs his own shop, while long-standing teammate George Faref is a chef for his own Lebanese restaurant in Chorlton.
“We are the best in the world and we want to remain the best in the world, we have to prove ourselves in Spain next year,” said Eddie.
“The German’s are a powerful, mighty team, difficult to beat, and to actually beat the Germans on penalties, it’s absolutely awesome.”
Eddie and George, who make up two of Team GB’s team of four, insisted that foosball is here to stay.
George claimed: “It has come home and it will remain home, and we have made a promise to practice more often”.
Next month Team GB head to Murcia, Spain in the next international foosball tournament in the annual calendar.
