Well-rounded: a spot of football in a roundabout with the Sprinter.

A spot of football in a roundabout with the Sprinter.

In "roundabout football", a roundabout in Porto is spontaneously turned into a football pitch. The interesting thing though, is that the goals are two Sprinter vans which continually drive around it.

Anyone can play regular football.

Take a rectangular pitch, add two teams of eleven players and set the stopwatch for two bouts of 45 minutes. The very familiar rules of a world-renowned team sport. To most people, it should be apparent that we're talking about football. Despite being subject to the odd rule change here or there, the game with the leather ball still follows the same core principle. And so it was time for a revolution: bending a few rules here or there, a group of Portuguese players is proving that the game doesn't always have to follow the same set of strict rules. 

The new Sprinter is changing the game.

You can't change football... or can you? What's wrong with making the game more dynamic? For example by adding two Sprinter vans which rotate around the pitch?

Teamwork wins.

"The new level of dynamism really makes the game what it is – everyone has to give 110 percent."

A football match with a difference.

A roundabout doesn't just ensure free-flowing traffic, the middle of it also offers unimaginable potential. In Porto, a group of football players have found the perfect place for their project. Right in the middle of a roundabout in Portugal, the fun factor and action are immense. And these are the conditions: in "roundabout football", the pitch is circular and the goals are in constant movement. This really puts the orientation skills of the players to the test: two Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans circle around the roundabout serving as the goals. The main aim of the teams is to continually reposition and re-orientate themselves. And in doing so, even the most experienced of players need to be careful not to get their legs in a twist. "The new level of dynamism really makes the game what it is – everyone has to give 110 percent," explains referee Miguel Ribeiro. 

The new Sprinter as a mobile game-changer.

Not only has the outward appearance of the game changed, but the positions in "roundabout football" are also totally different to those of the classic game: the goalkeepers don't stand between the posts, rather they sit behind the wheel of a Sprinter. Their task is to maintain an overview in among all the chaos and to continuously drive the "goals" round in a circle. For the attackers, their job is to anticipate the right moment to shoot. "Roundabout football" is intense for the players. But how about things like forcing the opponent into the corner? Impossible on a roundabout! Instead, they're constantly on the move and changing directions. At the end of the day, they'll all confirm one thing: "A roundabout football match should be part of the training plan of any self-respecting footballer."

 

The Sprinter is a team player.

Even in "roundabout football", the new Sprinter proves to be a reliable partner. 

Teamwork is everything.

Playing football on roundabouts represents a whole new set of challenges for the team. 

Constantly on the move.

The two Sprinter vans circle the roundabout.

Motivation and anticipation.

Team talk before the game: the two teams get ready for the match.    

Photos:

Max Galys