As if World Cup fever wasn’t already taking over South Florida, a piece of soccer history has officially arrived in Miami.
The world’s oldest known soccer ball made a stop at Miami International Airport over the weekend, marking the first time the historic artifact has ever been exhibited in the United States.
Dating back to the 16th century, the ball is on loan from Scotland’s Stirling Smith Museum and was welcomed Saturday during a special ceremony hosted by the Consulate General of Brazil and airport officials.
The visit comes as fans gear up for Wednesday’s highly anticipated Scotland vs. Brazil match, adding another unique World Cup attraction to the region.
According to organizers, this is the first time the centuries old ball has traveled to a World Cup host nation and the first time it has ever been displayed in America.
“It’s quite a historic moment,” said Faroque Hussain, honorary consul for Brazil. “The ball is only in the United States, so it’s a very limited opportunity for people to come from across Florida and Miami to look at the oldest football in the world.”
If you’d like to see the artifact for yourself, the historic soccer ball will be on display at the Coral Gables Museum beginning Monday through June 27.
With South Florida serving as one of the major hubs for World Cup festivities, it’s not every day that a nearly 500 year old piece of soccer history lands in our backyard.
