Before the development of Goal Roll, a sport known as football (or in Unova as soccer) was astonishingly popular among human and pokemon athletes alike. The sport differed from Goal Roll primarily by containing a much longer field, a single ball, a ban on the usage of hands even to punch or swat the ball, and only two teams. It was largely replaced, and Goal Roll developed as a variant, when it became so dominated by Hitmonlee that no other species of pokemon could compete, for few fans wanted to watch a bunch of Hitmonlee kick a ball around.

In a way, it is a shame that they didn't. Hitmonlee have amazing footwork, and they kick with such velocity that the balls might as well have been thrown by a Machamp. Their stamina and long legs would make them superior and exciting athletes in the vast majority of sports, were it not for their tiny, nearly useless hands.

Today, apart from the martial arts events, Hitmonlee maintain a presence in Goal Roll, albeit a less dominant one. They are counted among the ranks of superstars in the sport, often extending their legs not to kick, but to gain height for headers. Were the nets higher, they would be even more effective. Given the short nets and the tendency of players to keep the ball up, however, it can at times prove difficult for Hitmonlee to shoot low enough that the ball does not fly over the crossbar.