Calcio Storico: Florence’s Fiercest Tradition

Held annually in Florence, Italy, Calcio Storico is an ancient form of football that blends sport, ritual, and raw physicality.

Born in 1530, it’s a centuries-old tradition where pride, identity and history collide in a dusty Renaissance square.

The game combines different sports, such as rugby, soccer, wrestling, boxing and martial arts.

In Florence they say Calcio Storico is the grandfather of rugby.

They also say soccer is born there.

The game is played by four teams, with 27 players each, representing the historic districts of Florence: San Giovanni (Verdi – Greens), Santa Croce (Azzurri – Blues), Santa Maria Novella (Rossi – Reds) and Santo Spirito (Bianchi – Whites).

The match lasts 50 minutes, with no substitutions and the goal is to score points by getting the ball into the opposing team’s net, using any means necessary: punching, tackling, and grappling are all allowed. One of the very few rules is that players must fight one on one.

I decided to focus on one team only: the Verdi di San Giovanni.

The Verdi di San Giovanni Team headquarters.

The flag with the coat of arms of Florence inside the Team headquarters.

Inside the Verdi Team headquarters.

The Verdi Team boxing club. On the left, a flag depicting il giglio (the lily), the coat of arms of Florence. On the wall in the background, the flag with the Verdi Team coat of arms.

The ring inside the Verdi Team boxing club.

The boxing club where Verdi Team trains. In the background, a sign reads: “He who is not hungry, will not have fame”.

The entrance to the boxing gym, with a sign that reads: “Every child should learn to ride a bike, swim and fight.”

A group of calcianti, as the players of the Florentine calcio storico teams are called, train inside the gym. One of them is wearing a sweatshirt with Florentia written on it. Florentia, the Latin name for Florence, is an auspicious name that means: “May you be prosperous”, “City of prosperity”.

Two calcianti sparring in front of one of the coaches.

Helmets and pads on a shelf in the Verdi Team boxing club.

Inside the Verdi Team boxing club.

“Next week training is CANCELLED all week! Monday evening, 8:30pm, we all meet at the headquarters, to look each other in the eyes and understand from each one what kind of commitment they want to put in the last two months of training. Attendance is MANDATORY for all 45 players. Those who have children pay a babysitter, those who have a job take time off to go out early or take a day off, but attendance is… I repeat MANDATORY“.

Verdi Team members warming up. The square is covered in dirt as a way to “recreate” the setting from years past.

Team members warming up in the Verdi headquarters field.

One of the goalkeepers starts training. Each soccer team consists of four goalkeepers.

The Verdi Team’s training field. Verdi di San Giovanni, in the background, means the name of the team with the reference district of the city.

The Team during the training.

The Team training together in the field.

Running is always one of the first steps of the training.

The Team during the training.

The Team starts the boxing training.

The wrestling coach teach some techniques to the team. One day a week the training is dedicated to wrestling.

Team members warming up running, while some other in the background are listening to the wrestling coach.

The wrestling coach on the field with a player after the demonstration of a technique.

Team players practicing wrestling techniques.

The wrestling coach leaving the field after the wrestling session ended.

A Team player warming up.

One of the coaches observes the team during a training game.

Calcio storico combines different sports, such as soccer, rugby, wrestling, boxing and martial arts.

Team members during a training game.

Wrestling is one of the most important disciplines every calciante must practice.

Team member Niccolò, on crutches due to an injury during a past training, inquires about the condition of another team member who has just been injured, stating: “Think I broke my kneecap,” before walking out and stopping.

A training game.

A team member, with the ball in his hands, tries to reach the goal at the end of the pitch.

One of the techniques of historical football involves stopping the opponent in every possible way.

The coach spekas to the team in order to define some important points on the game tactics.

Team players listening to the main coach speech.

Team members discussing right after the training.