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Calcio Fiorentino was an early form of football that originated in 16th century Italy. The Piazza della Novere of Florence is the craddle of this sport, that became known as giuoco del calcio fiorentino ("Florentin kick game") or simply calcio ("kick").
The official rules of calcio were published for the fitst time in 1580 by a certain Giovanni Bardi. Just like Roman harpastum, it was played in teams of 27, using both feet and hands. Goals could be scored by throwing the ball over a designated spot on the perimeter of the field.
Originally, calcio was only reserved for the rich aristocrats, who played every night between Epiphany and Lent. In the Vatican, even Popes, such as Clement VII, Leo IX and Urban VIII were known to play.
Because Calcio originally attracted a sophisticated class of people, it had an impact of international proportions. British schoolmaster Richard Mulcaster mentions an English version of mob football, influenced by Calcio, in his 1561 treatise on the education of the young.
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