The ball is made from a pig's bladder. The world's oldest football was sent to Germany on April 27 for the World Cup. The 450-year-old ball will form the centrepiece of an exhibition on the history of the sport. Staff at its current home in Stirling's Smith Museum has sent the delicate artefact to the Museum fur Volkerkunde in Hamburg. The ball was once the property of Mary Queen of Scots and museum bosses in Germany were keen to display it after deeming it the oldest in existence. "The Germans have decided, from all the evidence, that our ball is the oldest football in the world and it will be the centrepiece of this huge exhibition," said the Smith Museum's collection manager Michael McGinnes. The 16th century ball is made from a pig's bladder and the cover constructed from pieces of thick deer leather and tightly laced together. Mr McGinnes added: "We can't prove that Mary Queen of Scots played with the ball." Mr McGinnes has taken the ball on a flight from Prestwick to Lubeck Airport, near Hamburg. In Germany, the ball received a traditional Scots welcome by being piped into the exhibition. It will remain overseas for the duration of this summer's World Cup and it is expected to be returned home in mid-September. (Agencies)

4月27日，世界上最古老的足球被送往德国，将于世界杯赛期间和球迷见面。 这只年满450岁的足球将成为本届世界杯赛足球历史展上的中心展品。 该球是英国斯特灵市史密斯博物馆的藏品，博物馆的工作人员已将这个珍贵的足球送抵汉堡的市博物馆。 此球曾经归苏格兰玛丽女王所有，德国博物馆的负责人在确认它为现存最古老的足球后，表示很有兴趣将其在德国展览。 史密斯博物馆藏品经理迈克尔·麦克吉尼斯说：“根据所有的相关证据，德国博物馆确定这只足球是世界上最古老的足球，所以它将成为世界杯期间大型展览的焦点。” 这只诞生于16世纪的足球由猪膀胱制成，球的表面由一块块的厚鹿皮紧密地缝合在一起。 麦克吉尼斯说：“但我们无法考证玛丽女王是否亲自踢过这个球。” 麦克吉尼斯带着这只球从Prestwick坐飞机抵达位于汉堡附近的Lubeck机场。 为了迎接这个“客人”，德国博物馆举行了一个传统的苏格兰式欢迎仪式，在苏格兰风笛的吹奏声中，最古老的足球“踏”进博物馆。 今年夏天世界杯期间，这只足球将一直待在德国，预计在9月中旬返回英国。 (中国日报网站编译)