Walking foot Monaco gives over-50s a second life with the ball at their feet | OneFootball

Walking foot Monaco is giving over-50s a second life with the ball at their feet, a version of football where running is banned.

According to Nice-Matin, the project began in late winter 2024 when co-founders Jean-François Taburchi and Elio Rossi chose to start their own club rather than join friends in Nice. After securing a pitch, sessions now run each Thursday and Saturday from eight to 10 in the morning at Stade des Moneghetti in Beausoleil.

The rules strip back exertion but keep competition. No one may run, with or without the ball, passes should not rise above hip height, and players are limited to three touches with no tackles or contact.

Matches are five-a-side, last 15 to 20 minutes, and split into age bands of 50-60, 60-70, and beyond. Shots must be taken before a 5-metre zone, with small goals standing 0.6 to 1.5 metres high.

Members admit the hardest part is suppressing the urge to sprint. André, 59, says sceptics tend to change their minds once they try it, and Taburchi notes a few still set off running before the group gently adapts to keep things fun.

The association counts 30 paying members on an annual fee of 80 euros. Most played for decades, and three women have joined, the game is fully mixed.

For Franck, 66, the sessions have reunited long-lost team-mates, and he says he turns up with the eagerness of a youngster. Medical check-ups often highlight benefits for the heart, gait and morale, and Taburchi, who is approaching 80, says being back on the pitch can feel like being 20 again.

The club enters several two or three-day tournaments, from Montpellier to Saint-Étienne, with another set for 30 May against teams from Nice and nearby. No trophies are awarded by choice, keeping the focus squarely on enjoyment.

Source: Nice-Matin