Nobody is paid to play historic calcio. It is primarily a recreational activity, and many of people who engage do not consider it a sport. However, because the game has age restrictions (15 years old and over) and requires two teams with 11 players per side, it is possible to find some professionals. In fact, there are about 1,000 active players in Italy, and about half of them play in the National League (the highest level of competition). The other half play in regional leagues or even in small tournaments. The average salary is about 4,500 euros per year. But there are very good players who can earn up to 10,000 euros per season. It is possible to become a professional player by joining one of the many clubs that play in national competitions. However, you must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or its equivalent. It is also possible to become a professional player without joining a club. You can do this by being selected by the Italian national team manager to play in a match. There were three such games during the 2006 World Cup when Roberto Mancini made several changes to his squad and only picked players he wanted to play.