A total of 20 new Subbuteo teams will be released this year and it includes a couple of famous teams close to home for UK collectors.
Wales’ 2016 European Championship semi-finalists and the Northern Ireland side that qualified from the group stage of the same tournament will both be recreated in Subbuteo format in honour of their superb performances.
That means Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Kyle Lafferty will all be represented in the new teams announced today.
The range is part of the Subbuteo La Leggenda Platinum Edition range, an official licensed series of 80 new Subbuteo teams created in the classic heavyweight style. The collection is being sold in Italy only and is being sold one per week as a part-work collection.
The teams in the set are all based on classic international sides with a focus on more modern teams. Others to be announced include Croatia’s 2018 World Cup finalists, Togo and Trinidad and Tobago’s 2006 World Cup sides, and Japan’s 2002 World Cup squad.
Liverpool star Mo Salah will also be represented with Egypt 2018 set for a first Subbuteo appearance, while older sides are represented by the likes of Cuba 1934, Poland 1982 and Mexico 1970.
United Arab Emirates is also included in the set of 20 new teams. The Middle East nation is not known as a football hot spot but it will be the 50th La Leggenda Platinum Edition team produced. No date has been confirmed for the side but it is likely to be based on the nation’s only World Cup appearance in 1990.
England also make an appearance in the list, with the 1990 World Cup squad of Gazza and Chris Waddle set to be recreated. It is the third England side to be announced as part of the new range after the 1966 World Cup winners and the 2018 World Cup semi-finalists.
Previous sides already released include Nigeria 2018, several great Italy sides and USA 2002.
The full list of new teams includes:
Ref 30 – Paraguay 2010
Ref 31 – Mexico 1970
Ref 33 – Croatia 2018
Ref 34 – Poland 1982
Ref 35 – Japan 2002
Ref 36 – Uruguay 2018
Ref 27 – Togo 2006
Ref 38 – Holland 2010
Ref 39 – Yugoslavia 1962
Ref 40 – Spain 2018
Ref 41 – Wales 2016
Ref 42 – Trinidad and Tobago 2006
Ref 43 – England 1990
Ref 44 – Egypt 2018
Ref 45 – Senegal 2002
Ref 46 – Colombia 2014
Ref 47 – Northern Ireland 2016
Ref 48 – Cuba 1938
Ref 49 – Holland 1998
Ref 50 – United Arab Emirates
