If you’ve ever wondered what other “practical” applications Citroen’s protective Airbump technology might have, let’s just say it can do a lot more than just keep your C4 Cactus clear of bumps and scrapes.
Meet the Footpool table, a simple combination between an overgrown pool table with interior Airbump surfaces and a miniature soccer field. On the pitch are Arsenal FC stars Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker, Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny, in a Germany vs. France formation.
At the Arsenal Training Ground, the players have to go up against each other in order to see which team could make better use of Citroen’s Airbump tech, which formed the cushions of the pool-style table.
The Airbump cushions are basically protective panels here, deflecting the balls and allowing for clever trick shots as part of the game. Naturally, even as a demonstration, this brought out the competitive nature of the players, as they all scrambled to be the first to pot their respective balls in the pockets.
In the end, it was the German duo of Ozil and Mertesacker that won the match, with the defender being the one doing most of the grunt work – which is surprising considering the fact that Ozil is one of the most technically savvy players in the world.
According to Citroen, Footpool is becoming more and more popular in the UK, where fans are enjoying the challenge of potting balls with their feet, rather than a pool cue. To be fair, it also offers somewhat of a cardio workout, as opposed to playing pool the old fashioned way.
The Airbump Footpool table will be making an appearance at the Emirates Stadium next year, where Arsenal fans will get the chance to try it out for themselves.