Quad-soccer: one ball, four teams, four goals.

So boring.

Has anyone invented this crazy pinball-like version of four-way soccer? If not, why not?

The concept: The playing field is a square, and at the center of each side is a goal, protected by one of four teams. The players from all four teams compete simultaneously. Let’s say teams North, South, East and West are engaged in furious sporting combat, each defending their goal in the corresponding direction. If a player from any team were to kick the ball into the North goal, the South team would score a point. If a player from any team were to kick the ball into the West goal, the East team would score a point. And so on and so forth… The first team to reach a set number of points is declared the victor.

A hybrid of chinese checkers and soccer.

Can you visualize the magnificient mayhem of players, and the ricocheting ball shooting every which way, in a chaotic kickfest of non-stop swirling action? Would you like to be a goalkeeper, trying to keep track of what the heck was going on?

Can you imagine the interesting strategies and alliances? If the North team were on the cusp of winning, all three other teams would strive to defend the South goal, while at the same time trying somehow to score. How do you attack, and where do you defend? You gotta love it!

I suppose several kinks would have to be worked out. Such as rules concerning penalties and balls out-of-bounds. Details, details…