The Three-Sided Football Game

The most basic rule of football is that one must score more goals than the opponent to win, but that applies to traditional games.

But everything changes when instead of two, three teams are playing against each other.

The objective is to receive the lowest number of goals, and one team will be simultaneously playing against two other teams that are also playing against each other.

Confused?

According to Mark Dyson, founder of the Deptford Three Sided league in the United Kingdom, it's not that complicated.

"The rules are very simple, in fact, there are only three," he said.

"It's difficult when you think about it, but once you start playing, you get into the natural dynamics of the game."

In addition to three teams playing at the same time and trying not to concede goals, the game takes place on a hexagonal field, with three goals, and lasts one hour, with three periods or "rotations" of 20 minutes each.

Philosophical Background

"It stems from an idea by Asger Jorn, a Danish philosopher from the Situationist International, who saw traditional football as a representation of the bipolar class struggle and sought to create an alternative that reflected the complexity of society and promoted cooperation," explained Geoff Andrews, coach of the Philosophy Football FC team, to the BBC.

"That means forming tactical alliances on the field, so that your enemy can become your friend in a minute."

"It can lead to distrust and betrayal," Andrews warned.

Although traditional football has its roots in the working class, over the years it has become a transnational business that moves millions of dollars.

"One of the reasons it has become popular is because people are tired of how conventional football is dominated by big corporations," added the coach of the "philosophers of football," the dominant team in the category.

It is not surprising that most of the teams that are formed have an ideological background with inclinations towards left-wing movements.

"The game is built based on the atmosphere between the different teams. There is a hectic and chaotic mathematical struggle for goals, which results in two teams fighting together to score a goal," Andrews added.

Three-sided football is already practiced in other countries like Spain and Colombia, and although it still remains as a pastime, its conception goes beyond kicking a ball.