Mecha-soccer

Mecha-soccer (or football) has a long history on Cybertron. Professional leagues existed prior to the Great War, although amateur league play continues throughout the conflict.

During wartime, the non-professional teams of the Primus League garner the most attention, especially their competition for the prized Primus League Cup. While the Cybertron Premier Division is assumed to be the uppermost tier in the League, non-League teams (such as Throttlebot Wanderers) are apparently recognized and able to compete.

The Decepticon Krok was one of the most violent players of the sport before unceasing warfare put an end to mainstream organized sports on Cybertron. He hopes to reintroduce traditional athletic competitions, like Mecha-soccer, after the war ends.

In a strange coincidence, humans also have a sport called football, which bears some striking similarities to the Transformers version and even has its own Cup championships! Grimlock even played in a charity football game as part of the publicity surrounding his appearance in The Transformers: The Movie. Robo-Capers issue 91 The reasons for this parallel evolution are unknown.

Teams

We know these teams definitely exist because Dreadwind and Blaster told us!

Known Cybertron Premier Division Teams

• Actionmaster Academicals

Known members: Jazz

Known matches: Defeated Horrorcon Thursday despite an in-game brawl.

• Bruticus All-Blacks

Known members: Brawl, Vortex, Bruticus

Known matches: Controversially won a match against their rivals Defensor United when Brawl did "a 'Hand of God' routine" and punched the ball in. This foul move went unseen by the refs (the Micromaster Battle Patrol), who were recovering from being stepped on by Bruticus.

• Defensor United

Known matches: Controversially lost a match against their rivals Bruticus All-Blacks when an illegal move went unseen by the refs (the Micromaster Battle Patrol), possibly putting them out of the championship race.

• Dinobot Dynamo

Known matches: Game against Triplechangers Town interrupted by Galvatron blowing up the referee, then claiming to be a living god.

Other: May be the same team as Dynamo Dinobot.

• Horrorcon Thursday

Known members: Blot and Skullcruncher

Known matches: Lost to Actionmaster Academicals following a brawl with both that team and then each other.

• Triplechangers Town

Known matches: Unfinished game with Dinobot Dynamo.

Other League Teams

• The Aerialbots

Other: Said to be "looking very good in the air".

• Combaticons Hove Albion

Known members: Brawl

Known matches: Hard game against Throttlebot Wanderers resulted in appalling injuries to Goldbug, resulting in a professional foul against Brawl. Final outcome of that game unknown.

• Cybertron United

Other: Dreadwind noted this team had general support.

• Dynamo Dinobot

Other: Said to be one of the two biggest teams on Cybertron. May be the same team as Dinobot Dynamo.

• Polyhex City

Other: Dreadwind noted this team had general support until it was relegated to a lower division. What division it had previously been in is unknown.

• Protectobots Academicals

Other: Said to have a very strong defense.

• Technobots Wednesday

Known members: Nosecone, Strafe

Other: Nosecone said to be in line for the Sportsmechanoid of the Millennium award for his ability to "drill through defences", while Strafe is the "top winger around".

• Terrorcons Ununited

Other: Said to be one of the two biggest teams on Cybertron.

• Seacons

Other: Said to have a "water-logged pitch".

Non-League Teams

• Throttlebot Wanderers

Known members: Goldbug (although Chase, Freeway, Overload, Rollbar, and Searchlight have been suggested as members)

Other: Called the "non-league no-hopers" by Blaster, Goldbug sustained fusion servo injuries from Brawl during a match with Combaticons Hove Albion, the final outcome of which is unknown. The team members were listed by a child (and confirmed by Blaster); he probably meant Wide Load instead of Overload.

Other continuities

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

A coach at the International School berated Shūta Gō for grandstanding during a soccer game. Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules

Kre-O

The Autobots and Decepticons played a game of soccer. Ultimate Defender

TransTech

The mecha-soccer draft had begun, and Kickstart and Heavyfoot were considered valuable picks in the sports world of Axiom Nexus. Andromeda - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/01 Rook interviewed Krok, who talked up the playing skills and leadership ability of the two potential stars, while being coy on the subject of his own team, the Granaught Gatoraiders. Rook - Axiom Nexus News, 2015/05/01

Aligned continuity family

Drift, Slipstream, and Jetstorm played a game of soccer against Fracture, Airazor, and Divebomb, with Optimus Prime and Bumblebee looking on. Transformers Super Mini-Con Striker

Live-action film series

Optimus Prime goal-tended for a session of soccer against human athletes Diego Poyet, Gor Grigoryan, and Patrick Otte in which he deflated a ball in his hand. ESPN Future of Soccer commercial

Beast Wars: Uprising

The Administrator monitored games of mecha-soccer from the Cyclonus Memorial Tower, part of the planet-wide sporting tournaments designed to entertain the Builders of Cybertron. Broken Windshields

Rescue Bots Academy cartoon

When the recruits mistook a soccer ball for a Rubber Ducky egg, Cody Burns taught them to play soccer. Monster Savings

Other codes

American football

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

A game of American football (or Gridiron) was played with a team of Spike Witwicky, Bumblebee and Hound versus the Dinobots. Atlantis, Arise! Later on, Blitzwing sought the advice of an American football coach in a Decepticon urban battle he was leading against the Autobots. Triple Takeover When held captive on the planet Quintessa in the year 2005, Spike Witwicky prepared Kup and Ultra Magnus for an escape attempt by way of a coded message that involved recalling a football match between the Lunar Colony's team and "the Bears". Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2

Marvel The Transformers comics

Sports nut Eject was capable of monitoring and recording local radio and television broadcasts but was more likely to tape Monday Night Football than a news bulletin about a Decepticon raid. Eject's Universe profile

Clyde and Joey Slick threw a football around in front of other kids, one of them noting that Slick's skill would make the Seattle Seahawks consider him if he maintained consistency. After Slick had made several successful robberies, the kids announced that they desired to be robbers instead of "tomorrow's N.F.L. all-pros". Shooting Star!

2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon

After being given a vintage Bronco Kowalski helmet by Denny Clay, Russell Clay participated in a game of football on a nearby field with a group of children including Hank and Butch. After being confused by jargon and falling on the ground. Russell returned to the scrapyard, where Fixit communicated his desire to play the game before being swatted down by regulations. Hank later showed up at the scrapyard in order to give Russell his helmet back and invited him to practice the following day. That day, the practice did not go well for him as he was assigned to a "way-back" position. After he returned to the scrapyard, Hank went over to encourage him to return to practice as everyone was assigned to way-back at some point. After she left, Russell (with Grimlock) kicked his helmet in frustration only to watch it sail through a nearby building. Later on, Russell successfully punted in a game, to the delight of Hank, the other players, and the Autobots. More than Meets the Eye Later on, Russell played in a championship game with Butch in which Russell's first attempt at a field goal was blocked by a bigger player. King of the Hill (Part 1) After the attempt Russell left the game, claiming a broken ankle. Hank convinced Russell to return to the game in order to attempt the winning field goal, which succeeded. King of the Hill (Part 2)

Age of Extinction film

At one point, Cade and Lucas threw around a football. Age of Extinction

IDW Robots in Disguise comic

Russell and Hank played another game of football, wherein Hank berated herself for not living up to Bronco Kowalski after failing to make a catch. Robots in Disguise issue 5

Ask Vector Prime

Megatron, the human being from Quadwal, is good at football. Ask Vector Prime

Transformers Facebook page

The Autobots' victory over the Decepticons in a yearly football game gave Optimus Prime the right to carve a Thanksgiving turkey with his Energon-axe. [1]

See also

• Cube