Why Was the World’s Oldest Soccer Ball on Display at Scotland vs. Brazil?
Why Was the World’s Oldest Soccer Ball on Display at Scotland vs. Brazil?
It tells a remarkable story in soccer history.Jamie Spencer|
Scotland’s World Cup Group C meeting with Brazil in Miami on Wednesday featured a special guest. But not a person, rather an artefact that is at the very heart of soccer history.
The world’s oldest soccer ball made the 4,300-mile journey from Stirling in central Scotland—the Stirling Smith Art Gallery—to the Coral Gables Museum in South Florida.
The ball dates from the mid-16th century and, in addition to being part of the Diplomacy and the Beautiful Game: From Scotland to Brazil to Haiti exhibition in the museum, a 20-minute ride west of downtown Miami, it was shown at Scotland vs. Brazil at Hard Rock Stadium.
Close to 500 years old, the ball—a melon-sized sphere around half the size of a modern equivalent—is made from cow hide stitched together surrounding a pig’s bladder used to inflate it.
This earliest surviving example of a soccer ball was lost for centuries, only accidentally unearthed from its hiding place behind paneling during building work at Stirling Castle in the 1970s. Nobody knows how or why it got there and likely never will.
The ball dates from the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, a great-granddaughter of Tudor English King Henry VII and later an enemy and rival to Queen Elizabeth I—her first cousin, once removed. The Scottish Queen, eventually executed after years of imprisonment by Elizabeth, was a known fan of sports—particularly golf and soccer—as noted in her diary entries.
“The timeline aligns with Mary, Queen of Scots residing in the castle and of course it was discovered in the Queen's Chambers,” Stirling Smith curator Aoife McKenna told the BBC. “We couldn’t say for certain, but we like to think that Mary played with this ball.”
Why Is Scotland vs. Brazil Significant?
For starters, the Stirling ball is Scottish. And while the Football Association in England formalized the sport, Scotland was an early superpower, producing many of the best players of the Victorian era and participating in the first official international match—against England—in 1872.
But Scotland has clear ties to Brazil as well, which made this World Cup match—a repeat of the opening fixture from 1998—a fitting occasion for the ball to be celebrated.
The modern sport of football or soccer was taken around the world by English and Scottish pioneers in the late 19th and early 20th century, including Charles Miller. Born to a Scottish father in São Paulo in 1874, Miller traveled to England to study from the age of 10, excelling in the burgeoning sport of soccer, and taking two balls and a rulebook with him back to Brazil a decade later.
Soccer was known—although just barely—in Brazil at the time, but Miller was responsible for laying the foundations of its eventual explosion among more than just a small number of British expats.
When Was Soccer Invented?
Modern soccer, as we know it today, came into existence in 1863 in London, when the Football Association set out the first official rulebook, bringing together all the different versions of the game that had been developing—primarily in private schools—all over the country.
But the basic idea existed long before, with different roots traceable to Ancient Greece and Ancient China. Other similar games sprang up independently all over the world.
Games beginning to resemble modern soccer were played across Europe from the Middle Ages onwards and the sport was well established by the time the Stirling ball was being used in around 1540. The word ‘soccer’ itself is a shortening of ‘Association Football,’ the unifying code and basic set of 1863 rules by which all future versions would be governed.
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Published 13 hours ago | Modified 13 hours ago
JAMIE SPENCERJamie Spencer is a freelance editor and writer for Sports Illustrated FC. Jamie fell in love with football in the mid-90s and specializes in the Premier League, Manchester United, the women’s game and old school nostalgia.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
