EVERY year Florence travels 500 years back in time to host one of the most ferocious sports in the world – the Calcio Storico.
Translated as ‘historic football’ the sport is an early version of the beautiful game that first originated in the Italian city in the 16th century.
The sport was Italy’s most popular for around 100 years in the medieval period but had all but died out by the early 17th century.
However, in 1930 dictator Benito Mussolini reorganised a game and since then the tournament has become a massive attraction since.
The tournament sees four teams from each quarter of the city face each other in a semi-final, before progressing to the final, always played on 24 June, the feast day of St John the Baptist.
This year the Bianchi (whites), from Santo Spirito, faced the Azzuri (Blues), from Santa Croce.
The action was as bloody as ever.
The 50 minute matches see two teams of 27 men stare each other down in the historic Piazza Santa Croce – where the game was first played 500 years ago.
Punching, kicking, wrestling, tackling and hacking is allowed – but kicks to the head, elbowing, chocking and head-butting are not.
Fighting must also be one-on-one, with any players breaking the rules thrown out of the game.
The idea is top open up holes in the opponent’s defence to try and score in the goal – half a goal is awarded to the other team if a shot misses.
Referees attempt to maintain order but the matches often descend into all-out brawls.
In a thrilling match this year, the Bianchi beat the Azzurri by 6.5 to 6.
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