The most violent football tournament(photos)

A football competition is currently taking place in the Italian of Florence and its nothing like you have seen before.

The annual Calcio Storico - or 'historic football' - match in the Italian city of Florence,  is a very brutal sports and has been described as the most violent football tournament in the world.

This game is split into two teams of 27 players who are allowed to use any means necessary to get the ball down the opponents' end of the field, before throwing in into a thin net.

For the Calcio Storico, players train throughout the year in order to be fit for the match, which lasts for 50 minutes without any breaks even if a player drops dead on the pitch.

The teams consist of four goalkeepers and three fullbacks, who stop attacking players from scoring, five halfbacks who play towards the front of the field, and 15 forwards who stand toe-to-toe along the centre line.

Its fighting, kicking, biting, punching wresting from start to finish of the game.

The history of the Calcio is not well known.

Some say it was played each June in Florence before the city was founded in 59AD.

Check out photos below: