Fans with their eyes on the prize will get their hands on the ball

Football fans have a chance to get their hands on history today in the shape of the world’s oldest football .

The leather and pig’s bladder ball is believed to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots, who lived at Stirling Castle in the 1540s. The ball was discovered in the roof structure of the Queen’s Chamber during work at the castle in 1981. Mary is known to have had an interest in sports, and recorded a game of football in her diaries.

The ball is usually on display at the Smith Museum in Stirling, and has only ever been handled by a few specialists.

But, for the first time, coinciding with the day of the historic Scottish Cup final between Hibernian and Hearts, the museum is to give the public a brief opportunity to hold the ball.

Michael McGinnes, collections manager, said: “This is the first and only opportunity for fans of the beautiful game to hold the world’s oldest football.”