The Germans call it Loopyball, while other countries in Europe call it bubble football, but we call it bubble soccer. It’s the sporting game that’s sweeping the globe but actually started out as a joke between Henrick Elvestad and Johan Gold, hosts of the Norwegian comedy sports show Golden Goal. The duo posted a video of them playing bubble soccer on YouTube, and its popularity spread instantly.
The game itself is a cross between soccer and zorbing, a sport where an individual rolls down the side of a hill or sometimes a level surface in a giant plastic orb. The plastic orb surrounding the player in bubble soccer is similar in construction but differs where these allow the player’s legs to run around freely or essentially wear the orb.
The objective of bubble soccer is the same as traditional soccer, to score a goal against your opponent but with the added benefit of full contact being allowed. The game starts with players lined up along their goal lines, and the ball placed in the centre of the field. When players hear the whistle, they fearlessly rush in to the center to find and kick a soccer ball and avoid being knocked over by their opponents.
