5 Mind-Blowing National Sports That Will Leave You Astonished!

What national sport do you have in your country? Could it be football, rugby, or golf? While many countries have quite popular sports established as their national sports, others will amaze you with some unconventional sports that you didn’t even know existed. From indigenous games and cultural sports that are deeply tied to the national identity to some wacky games that are not for the light-hearted, these national sports will surely blow your mind and show you the endless possibilities in the world of sports.

 

Even though these sports are not for everyone, and you may probably prefer to stick to your local sports events or explore football odds from BetBrain and engage with different gaming experiences in case you don’t play yourself, finding out more details about some unconventional national games of other countries may give you some amazing insights into sports psychology and other cultural subtleties. So, it’s time to expand your horizons and find out more about 5 of the most mind-blowing national sports!

 

Afghanistan

 

Maybe the most brutal national sport on our list, Afghanistan’s Buzkashi consists of 2 teams of players that ride on horseback and try to score goals with a headless goat. Because what leisure activity could be more pleasant, right?

Before the game, Afghans decapitate the carcass of a goat or calf and soak it in water for 24 hours to make sure it stays in one piece. Sometimes, they even add some sand to make it heavier. Although there are many variations of the game, the goal is usually to manage to get your hands on the goat and carry it to a certain spot while avoiding the attacks of the other players. This is why participants usually wear head protection and heavy clothing.

 

Tejo, Colombia

 

Another pretty dangerous sport comes from Colombia and has its origins more than 500 years ago. Tejo is a Colombian game where players have to toss metal plucks that are full of gunpowder and explode when they hit a surface.

 

The goal is to hit a wooden table (tabla) full of clay that is placed at a 45-degree angle at a distance of about 18.5 meters and impact the inside of a target that situates itself at the other extreme of the table. Players can gather points for other achievements, such as exploding the metal plucks.

 

Yagli Gures, Turkey

 

After headless goats and explosive metal plucks, it’s time to have a laugh with Turkey’ national sport, . The only sports equipment Turks need for this sport is some oil, as Yagli Gures, is basically nothing more than a grease wrestling fight. Before the fight starts, wrestlers oil one another in order to show mutual respect and then proceed to wrestle until one of them falls on his back, “showing belly to the stars”. The fact that the bodies of the opponents are full of oil makes the fight more difficult and interesting, as they have a hard time grabbing each other.

Yagli Gures is the world’s oldest sports competition, as it has been held since 1362 with only about 70 cancellations. In the Ottoman Empire, the participants trained in special schools that were not only athletic centres but also spiritual ones.

 

Bossaball, Brazil

 

Another fun sport comes from Brazil, and this time, we are talking about an actual pleasant activity, which may even enter your own list of favourite outdoor activities if you decide to give it a go.

 

Their national sport is called Bossaball and is basically a match of beach volleyball, but on trampolines that are surrounded by inflammable rings. You can hear jolly samba music playing in the background to boost your mood even more and all you have to do to win is score 21 points. Nothing dangerous nor difficult, only pure fun.

 

Caber toss, Scotland

 

Maybe you have heard about throwing objects as far as you can as a way to demonstrate your strength, but Sottish’ caber toss is something else. This game consists of people throwing wooden beams, usually made out of larch trees, that are about 15-20 feet (5-6 meters) and weigh 90-150 pounds (40-70 kilograms).

The interesting part about this game is that the distance thrown does not matter because the emphasis is on the technique. The Scottish have to balance the caber upright and then throw it so that it turns to end over - all this while wearing their national kilts. The winners are not those who manage to throw the wooden beam farthest but the ones who have the most clean and beautiful throws.

 

We hope you have found these sports at least interesting and now have a better understanding of other countries' cultures and mentalities. Though you may not try these sports, remember to attend your local sports events to be an active member of the community and practice sports as often as you can for a healthy lifestyle!