Why is it called calcio? A deep dive into Italy‘s footballing tradition
As an Italian football fanatic, I‘m often asked – why is the game called calcio in Italy anyway? It‘s a great question, and understanding the story behind this unique name opens up a fascinating window into Italian culture. So tighten up those laces, grab a biscotto and let‘s kick off a journey into how calcio became Italy‘s sporting passion!
Calcio connects directly to the essence of football – kicking!
The Italian word calcio comes from the verb calciare, meaning "to kick." As you can imagine, kicking is pretty fundamental to football! Calcio neatly captures the quintessential skill needed to play this beautiful game.
Italians started calling it calcio as early as the 1500s when an early version was played in Florence. Back then it was referred to as il gioco del calcio fiorentino (“the Florentine kick game”), which eventually got shortened to just calcio.
Across the world, most countries took the English “football” and adapted it to their own language. So you get fútbol (Spain/Latin America), futebol (Portugal/Brazil), fußball (Germany), and voetbal (Netherlands).
But Italians went their own route – choosing a name focused on the essential action of kicking involved. This neatly summed up what was so intrinsic to playing and enjoying the sport they were infatuated with.
Over the centuries calcio has become firmly rooted in Italian culture and language. If you head to a bar, park or stadium anywhere from Milan to Palermo, you‘ll hear lively debates about calcio, not football!
How the early history of football in Italy shaped its future
To understand why Italians have such passion for calcio, it helps to look back at where the game first emerged.
The earliest forms of organized football in Italy date back to the late 1500s. In 1580, the country‘s oldest club still operating today was founded – Nobili Torino.
Some key milestones from calcio‘s early history:
- 16th century – Calcio fiorentino was played in Florence, eventually spreading across Italy
- Late 1800s – Football clubs sprung up in Turin, Genoa, Milan and Rome
- 1891 – The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was established
- 1898 – The first Italian Football Championship was held with Genoa beating Internazionale
| Oldest Italian Football Clubs | Year Founded |
|---|---|
| Nobili Torino | 1580 |
| Genoa CFC | 1893 |
| AC Milan | 1899 |
| Juventus | 1897 |
It was during this pioneering era that many of Italy‘s biggest teams emerged. Clubs like Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, AS Roma would go on to become giants not just in Italy but across Europe.
The early success of these clubs fueled excitement and participation in calcio across the country. Local communities took immense pride in their club – going to matches became an important weekly social ritual.
How calcio became ingrained in Italian society
Over the 20th century, calcio became deeply embedded in Italian society. By the 1950s, going to the stadium to support your club was a focal point of life for many Italians.
Fans formed close bonds with each other and chants, banners and rituals created an electrifying match-day atmosphere. Supporting the hometown team aroused intense local pride.
Some numbers that highlight calcio‘s importance:
- 20% of Italians regularly go watch live matches – among the highest rates in Europe
- Up to 60% of Italian television broadcasts are football-related
- 4.2 million fans are members of supporter groups like ultras
- The sport employs over 100,000 people and generates €5B annually
| Italian Football Facts & Stats | |
|---|---|
| Professional clubs | Over 100 |
| Registered amateur players | Over 1.4 million |
| Highest attendance (1950s) | 90,000 |
| Top scorer (goals) | Silvio Piola (274) |
Football has become part of Italian language and culture. Banners with team colors hang from apartments in local neighborhoods. Fans dress in club shirts and sing chants in local dialects. Heated arguments over tactics take place in bars and piazzas. Many Italians can’t imagine life without calcio!
How Italian coaches, tactics and players transformed the sport
Italy has made an immense contribution to global football.Italian managers pioneered influential tactics like catenaccio, which used an ultra-defensive system.
Giovanni Trapattoni, Marcello Lippi, Arrigo Sacchi and Antonio Conte are just some of the top-class coaches to emerge from Italy, earning success across Europe.
Italy has also produced many of football‘s finest talents – classy defenders like Franco Baresi, uncompromising strikers like Roberto Baggio and superb midfielders like Andrea Pirlo. It‘s impossible to imagine football history without these Italian greats.
Some of the biggest contributors to calcio history include:
Players
- Goalkeepers: Dino Zoff, Gianluigi Buffon
- Defenders: Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini
- Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo, Gianni Rivera, Valentino Mazzola
- Forwards: Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti
Managers
- Vittorio Pozzo: led Italy to first 2 World Cup wins (1934, 1938)
- Giovanni Trapattoni: Juventus legend who managed AC Milan & Inter Milan
- Marcello Lippi: Won World Cup with Italy (2006), 5 Serie A titles with Juventus
- Arrigo Sacchi: Pioneered pressing tactics with AC Milan, inspiring managers worldwide
Clubs
- Juventus: 36 Italian league titles, elite European pedigree
- AC Milan: Founding member of Serie A in 1929, 7 Champions League titles
- Inter Milan: 3 UEFA Cup/Europa League titles, 19 domestic trophies
- AS Roma: Supported by iconic ultras, fierce rivalry with Lazio
Without Italy‘s contributions, football today would look very different. The tactical nuance, technical flair and fighting spirit of Italian teams has shaped the modern game.
How scandals almost destroyed Italian football
While passion has fueled Italian football‘s success, it has also led to darker episodes that almost sabotaged the game.
In 1980, a betting scandal known as Totonero rocked Italian football. Dozens of players and officials were accused of fixing matches by selecting favorable referees and bribing opposition players.
The scandal revealed the influence of gambling syndicates and organized crime over football. While many involved were acquitted due to inconclusive evidence, the affair left a dark stain over calcio‘s integrity.
Just over a decade later in 2006, another crisis emerged – the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal. Wiretaps found several major clubs covertly selected preferable referees to manipulate results. Juventus were relegated and stripped of two Serie A titles.
These scandals revealed deep vulnerabilities in football governance. However, authorities took drastic action to clean up the game. New laws were passed with harsher punishments, referees became professionalized and wiretapping was adopted to detect foul play.
While Italian football still grapples with racism and hooliganism today, integrity is now far more robust after learning from past mistakes.
How "calcio" gives the sport its own Italian flavor
By adopting calcio rather than just football, Italy left a unique mark on the world‘s game. Calcio brings to mind images of exquisite passing moves, screaming ultras fans and the azure blue national team kit.
Calcio neatly captures what makes football special in Italy – the technical mastery, tactical nuance and fiery passion. Other countries just refer to it as a derivative of football. But calcio gives the sport its own distinctive Italian identity.
So whether you‘re a Juventino, Rossonero, Nerazzurri or Roma supporter, you can thank calcio for making football a little more Italian. The name choice that dates back centuries has allowed this nation to put its own flavor on the beautiful game.
What does the future hold for Italian football?
While other leagues have financially surpassed Serie A, Italy continues to produce top talent and its national side remains formidable. After the embarrassment of failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italian football is undergoing something of a renaissance.
Exciting young players like Gianluigi Donnarumma, Federico Chiesa and Nicolo Zaniolo offer hope. Astute coaches like Roberto Mancini and Gian Piero Gasperini are leading a tactical evolution. And clubs are investing more in youth development and facilities.
While challenges remain, Italian football appears poised for a bright new era. The nation‘s undying love for calcio will continue inspiring future generations to replicate the magic created by past Italian greats.
So that concludes our kickabout through Italian football history! Hopefully you now see why Italians are so fiercely devoted to calcio and how the name encapsulates their passion. If this has whet your appetite to experience calcio‘s magic, head to a stadium in Italy and join the chorus of fans in an age-old celebration of the beautiful game!