Calcio Fiorentino

Calcio storico ( Italian " historic football " ) (also Calcio Fiorentino ) is a traditional game that is played only in Florence.

Its origins lie in the 15th century. The finale takes place every year on St. John's ( 24 June), as John the Baptist, Florence's patron saint.

Regulate

The playing field is the square of Piazza Santa Croce in Florence in the middle, which is covered to play with sand. A game lasts 50 minutes. There are no pauses, interrupted only when paramedics need to enter the court. In each case, 27 men playing against each other. The aim of the game is to put a ball into the net of the opposing team, the ball may be played with the feet or hands in any way.

Each player may attack any opponent at any time physically. Both blows and kicks and rings generic techniques are allowed. It is only forbidden to contact to the head and attack the enemy from behind. Furthermore, only one man must always fight against another. These rules make the game a mixture of ball and combat sport in which there are many injuries. Several referees monitor the rules.

There are only four teams, each coming from a historic area of the city:

• Santa Croce / Azzurri ( the Blues )
• Santa Maria Novella / Rossi ( the Red )
• Santo Spirito / Bianchi ( Whites )
• San Giovanni / Verdi (Greens )