Florence Historical Football
The game with a ball was first practised by the Greeks, then the Romans called it "harpastum" which means abduction; therefore in the "Dizionario della Crusca" (the most famous italian dictionary published by the Academy of Crusca, one of the most famous school of the italian language in Florence) one can read:
"This ball-kick is a game, an ancient property of the city of Florence, reminding a battle, well ordered players, with this ball flying in the wind, looking like the "sferomachia" born in Greece and practiced in the ancient Rome then a florence tradition."

The Florence Football has been a fashionable Contest since 1400 to 1700 and it has many florence supporters still today.

A ten "ounce" ball, two teams of young tough barefoot and armless men, soberly worn: only socks, a jacket, hat and soft shoes.

It was practised by Giulio de' Medici, by the Pope Clemente VII, by Alessandro de' Medici, by the Pope Leone XI, by Maffeo Barberini, by the Pope Urbano VIII, by Cosimo I Earl of Tuscany , by Enrico Prince of Condé and many others.

Nowadays game refers to the 1530 February 17 match played in Santa Croce Square between "Whites" and "Greens" when the empire soldiers of Carlo V were besieging the city. It lasted about 60 minutes and it was played by two teams of 27 players each.