Football in Italy to the expansion of the Empire, including Medieval football. From the 16th century onwards, "Calcio Fiorentino", another code of football distinct from the modern game, was played in the Piazza Santa Croce in Florence. Some famous Florentines were amongst players of the game, particularly the Medici family including Piero, Lorenzo and Alessandro de' Medici. As well as Popes such as Clement VII, Leo XI and Urban VIII who played the game in the Vatican. The name "calcio" ("kick") was later adopted for football in Italy. The modern variation of the game was brought to Italy during the 1880s. The title
Calcio Fiorentino attended a game of "bridge fighting" – put on in his honor during a visit to Venice. The king is recorded as saying: "Too small to be a real war and too cruel to be a game". Interest in "Calcio" waned in the early 17th century. However, in 1930 it was reorganized as a game in Kingdom of Italy, under Benito Mussolini. It was widely played by amateurs in streets and squares using handmade balls of cloth or animal skin. Today, three matches are played each year in "Piazza Santa Croce" in Florence in the 3rd week of June. A