Calcio storico

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The playing field in Piazza Santa Croce

Calcio storico ( Italian for "historical football"), also Calcio fiorentino ("Florentine football"), Calcio in costume ("football in disguise") or Calcio in livrea ("football in livery "), is a traditional game that is only played in Florence and is reminiscent of a mixture of football and rugby .

history

The origins of the Calcio storico are in the 15th century . The final takes place every year on St. John's Day (June 24th), as John the Baptist is the patron saint of the city of Florence. The game takes place on the Piazza Santa Croce in front of the Franciscan church Basilica di Santa Croce in the center of Florence, the square is covered with sand.

Today's game is very different from the historical template, which has the same number of players and the same playground, but is much tougher today. In earlier centuries, Sunday after church play was played in the best dressing-suit, so the rules stipulated that it was not the most beautifully dressed team that wins, but that goals decide. There was also already the own world of sport in the set of rules, since the gentleman could not simply demand the ball from his page in the other team, but had his own rules on the field. This “own world” allows behavior on the playing field that would otherwise be considered physical harm.

Today's rules

Game scene

A game lasts 50 minutes. There are no breaks, it is only interrupted when paramedics have to enter the field. 27 men play against each other. The aim of the game is to put a ball into the opposing team's net, with the ball being played with the feet or hands in any way. If the ball hits the net, the team concerned receives one point. If it flies over it, the opposing team receives half a point. Any player may physically attack any opponent at any time. Both punches and kicks and wrestling techniques are allowed. It is only forbidden to step to the head and attack the opponent from behind. Nor should only ever one man against a struggling one. These rules make the game a mix of ball and martial arts, in which there are many injuries. Several referees monitor compliance with the rules.

There are four teams, each from a historic district of the city:

  • Santa Croce / Azzurri (the blue ones)
  • Santa Maria Novella / Rossi (the red ones)
  • Santo Spirito / Bianchi (the whites)
  • San Giovanni / Verdi (the Greens)

Web links

Commons : Calcio in Costume  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Giovanni Maria Bardi: Discorso sopra il giuoco del calcio fiorentino. Florence 1580 (reprint: Carlo Bascetta (ed.): Sport e giuochi. Trattati e Scritti dal XV al XVIII secolo . Milan 1978, 119–162.)
  2. ↑ Arnd Krüger , John McClelland (ed.): The beginnings of modern sports. London: Arena 1984