A video posted by People’s Daily shows T1 running up and executing a powerful kick that dents the wall. This is part of a training session for humanoid robots playing a 5v5 soccer match conducted by Booster Robotics in collaboration with Tsinghua University last weekend.
The football skills of the machine are not limited to kicking. It can also chase, dribble, pass the ball, and easily get back up after falling. The developers state that T1 can play autonomously without remote control. It uses AI to make real-time decisions on the field. Through intensive training and learning from previous human movement data, the robot develops “muscle memory” that allows it to pass, tackle, and shoot accurately. The goal is to test the adaptability of AI to complex physical environments.
According to NYPost, after being shared on various platforms such as Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, and X, the video quickly garnered mixed reactions.
“This guy doesn’t hold back. Is this really soccer?” asked X account Vida.
“I wouldn’t dare be the goalkeeper,” humorously commented X account Xiong.
Some expressed concerns that the robot could be misused for malicious purposes. “What if someone hacks the robot and makes it kick someone they hate in the head? We are ready for a dark evolution,” wrote Reddit user Nunki08.
Comments also referenced an incident involving Unitree’s G1 robot, which accidentally kicked a boy in the stomach while performing in front of a crowd in Xinjiang last week. “What would happen if the robot kicked a ball in an uncontrolled environment? That’s terrifying,” said Facebook user Dogan Ural.
The incident of kicking a young audience member has also raised concerns among experts. “This is no longer a joke; it should be regarded as a dangerous system failure,” said Associate Professor Roman Yampolskiy from the University of Louisville to NYPost. “A minor glitch with a dancing robot might just be embarrassing, but a major malfunction when operating them in security environments, delivery systems, autonomous platforms, medical assistants, or industrial machinery could injure people, damage property, or cause chain reactions.”
Booster T1 is a small humanoid robot, standing 1.2 meters tall and weighing less than 32 kg, equipped with sensors controlling force from head to toe to maximize its abilities on the field. Last year, this robot won the RoboCup 2025, a fully robotic soccer tournament held in Brazil. The tournament will continue in South Korea later this year.
Previously, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot also showcased its impressive soccer skills. The exercise aims to enhance balance, coordination, and motion control capabilities.
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