The foosball layout is something that can start a discussion very easily because it is not strictly determined. There is an official foosball table setup used in tournaments, for hobby players or for kids and it is completely natural that a kid’s table doesn’t have the same layout as the professional one. Also, if you look at the European style and the American style, you can find differences on every corner. But, why is that important? Most players are used to play on one table football layout and when the foosball table formation changes, they have to make some adjustments to their game. Since that is a process, most of them stick to the same Foosball table setup.
Foosball Player Layout
The biggest difference in the proper foosball table setup is the foosball player layout. There are two configurations, foosball one goalie or three. Those two configurations are also known as the European style and the American style. The foosball single goalie is still in most European tables so we can call it the European style while most American tables today have 3 men goalie system. European style is based more on precision and skill so they use only one player on the last rod – hence one man goalie foosball table. American style is for more active players with the fast-paced game and they use 3 players on the last rod. Another thing regarding players which isn’t a part of the foosball player layout affect the game and that is the design of the player. The best players are the ones with square foot, which can be seen in the Tornado foosball tables. Players with square foot are better for ball control.
Foosball Table Layout
Another difference in the foosball table configuration is the playing surface. You should avoid any surface that has scratches on the field so the ball can glide through the field. There are 3 main materials that can be used in the foosball table, wood, plastic, and tempered glass. The wooden surface will provide a slower game because it is not as smooth as plastic or tempered glass. If you want to play a fast game, use tempered glass. You can choose the playing surface by your game style. For example, the European foosball layout used a slower surface because they rely more on the skill of the player, while the American style is faster and they focus more on scoring the goal.
Conclusion: Which Foosball Configuration is the Best?
A foosball table layout depends on your preferences if you like to have control over the ball more than the speed of the ball, consider the single goalie foosball table. If you aren’t sure which is a proper foosball table setup for you, check out my list of the best foosball tables because there are tables that come with both foosball table formations so you can try them both and choose after some time.