The Calcio Storico Fiorentino 2017

FLORENCE, ITALY - JUNE 10: Calcianti (Players) of Santa Maria Novella Rossi (Red) Team take on San Giovanni Verdi (Green) Team during the semi-final match of the Calcio Storico Fiorentino at Piazza Santa Croce on June 10, 2017 in Florence, Italy. Calcio Storico Fiorentino is an early form of football, originating in the 1500's, which is still played today in Florence, Italy. The official rules of calcio were written for the first time in 1580 by Giovanni de Bardi, a count from Florence. Originally the calcio (which is also the name for modern day football/soccer in Italy) was played for rich aristocrats, and even popes were known to play. Four teams representing the neighbourhoods of Florence face each other in the first semi-finals. The winners go to the final, played every year on June 24, the day of the patron saint of Florence, San Giovanni. The winner is honoured with a cow. The teams are formed by 27 players and the ball can be played either with feet or hands. They can fight using tactics such a punching, elbowing and all martial arts techniques, but kicks to the head are forbidden, as are fights of two or more against one. A game lasts 50 minutes, and the winning team is the one who scores most points. The playing field is a giant sand pit with a narrow slit constituting the goal running the width of each end. Calcio Storico was not played for 200 years, until its revival in 1930. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)