Florentine football - what is it?

Florentine football is a special kind of sport that has existed for more than one century. He is one of the progenitors of all modern types of football, including American. However, he is very different from them, wearing a rather spontaneous and cruel character. So, what is Florentine football?

Team composition

Florentine football differs from modern types in that it involves a huge number of people. If in normal European football each team has eleven people on the field, then in the case of Florentine their 27, that is, in the sum simultaneously plays 54 people. At the same time, they are not an unorganized crowd - out of 27 players, fifteen are attackers, and they are divided into three groups, two of which become flank, and one - central. Under fifteen attackers play five people, which in modern sports could be called midfielders. As for the defenders, there are only three, but four more players are playing on them, which are called assistant defenders. However, it is worth noting that the roles of players are not very clearly distributed, and much of the field is quite spontaneous - in this and the charm of such a game as Florentine football. But now it's time to find out what exactly is happening on the field.

Rules of the game

And the first thing you should pay attention to when considering the rules of this sport is the size of the field. What field do you play in Florentine football? The photos may seem surprising to you - and this is not a fake vision. The field for this type of football has almost no markings, it does not have a gate, it has an elongated shape. The fact is that it represents two equal squares, which denote the half of the field of each of the teams. The exact size of the field does not exist, but in most cases the plot can vary from 40 to 50 meters in width and from 80 to 100 meters in length. The main thing is that the width is half the length. What is the width of the gate? Florentine football does not set a specific framework, where the ball should fly. Over the fence dividing the field and the fans' zone, the net is stretched, and the ball must fly exactly into it - its width is equal to the width of the field. However, attackers need to aim very well, since if the ball flies higher, then the opponent's team will receive half a point.

Features of the game

However, what is remarkable about this sport? The fact is that this is one of the peculiar ways of the southern peoples to let out of themselves the aggression that accumulates because of the hot temperament. Thus, if you play Florentine football, the opponent's goal is not your only goal. You can also attack all enemy players, including those that are without the ball. In this respect, there are no restrictions in Florentine football. One team needs to neutralize the opponent's players in order to score a goal, but the opponent will try to do the same. As for the ball game, there are also no restrictions. You can use your hands, feet, head and any other parts of your body to move the ball across the field. You can run with the ball without any restrictions, that is until you give the pass, do not hit the gate or until you have it taken away. In general, what is happening on the field resembles a fight "wall to wall", but only in this fight is involved, and the ball, and the result should be scored goals, rather than knocking out the opponent.

Tournaments

Florentine football, of course, is characteristic exclusively for Florence - in other countries of the world it is not popular. Moreover, it is not played in other cities of Italy. In Florence, he has existed for many centuries, and still every year there is a tournament between the four teams. In total, only three matches are played for fifty minutes - two semi-finals, from which two winning teams come out, and one final, held between them. This tournament does not have a prize fund, so the winners receive only a free dinner. But the point is not in money, but in honor, because the whole year the winning team will be the champion. In ancient times for the victory they gave a cow and one of the oldest and most expensive breeds, but now such a trophy is not given.