Fireball soccer is played barefoot, and matches last 60 minutes

Oct 11, 2012 18:01 GMT  ·  By

A popular sport among boarding school students in East Java, Indonesia, fireball soccer involves lighting up a coconut and attempting to play a full game with it.

The potentially dangerous game is meant to straighten the boys' resolve and test their manhood. It has become a full-fledged ritual in the area, the Mirror reports.

“We make a fireball to test the guts of the students,” game organizer Ali Akhyar boasts.

For 60 minutes, young boys have to try taming the fireball, while barefoot. Teams are made up of 5 players each, and they play on a 25 by 25 meter court (27 x 27 yards).

Prior to any match, a coconut has to be soaked in kerosene for two days, preparing it for an hour of being tossed around, outdoors.