World’s oldest football travels from Scotland to Miami for the World Cup

LONDON — The world’s oldest soccer ball, found in a bedroom once used by Mary, Queen of Scots, will go on display for the first time in the United States — having made the long journey across the Atlantic from Scotland to Florida.

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The ball, believed to be about 500 years old, is one of Scotland’s most cherished historical objects. It’s made from thick leather panels stitched together and turned inside out, for a smoother, more aerodynamic surface, and has a pig’s bladder forming its inner core.

The artifact is being loaned from the Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum in Scotland, which called the ball “a true piece of football history.”

It will have its own moment of glory Wednesday, as it is spotlighted at the World Cup game between Brazil and Scotland — marking the first time that the ball, which is five times the age of the tournament itself, will be present at a FIFA World Cup game.

“The world’s oldest football is an extraordinary object that connects Scotland’s rich sporting heritage with a game followed and loved across the globe,” Lucy Casot, chief executive of Museums Galleries Scotland, said in a statement.

“As the ball takes its place alongside the world’s best players and most passionate fans in the United States, it is a powerful reminder of the global reach of Scotland’s collections.”

The ball, roughly the size of a melon, will be on display at the Coral Gables Museum in Miami as part of its headline exhibition “Diplomacy and the Beautiful Game: From Scotland to Brazil to Haiti.”

The ball was discovered during renovation work in the 1970s at Stirling Castle, lodged in the rafters behind the oak paneling in the Queen’s Chamber. Scientific testing dates the ball to between 1540 and 1570 — the era of James V and the young Mary, the museum said.

It has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest football.

Records show that football has been popular in Scotland since at least the 15th century — and Mary is known to have taken an interest in the sport, according to the museum.

“What we do know about Mary, Queen of Scots, was that she was a keen sportswoman — she enjoyed football, golf, jousting, tennis,” Caroline Mathers, director of the Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum, said in a social media video.

“So I like to imagine that Mary had a kick about with this ball at some point.”

Scotland’s exuberant fans, dubbed the Tartan Army, have earned the affection of many in the U.S. and across social media after they overran Boston for their early soccer fixtures. They have now arrived in Miami for Wednesday’s high-stakes game.

“We brought the ball over to Miami ... and I think it’s going to bring us good luck,” Mathers joked.