Where was football invented? Perhaps in Scotland according to these archaeologists. A few steps from the famous castling castle, in the heart of Scotland, there is an apparently ordinary lawn, but which could keep a world record: be the oldest football field still existing. According to a new historical analysis conducted by the scholar Roger Kaythis field known today as The King’s Park It would even go back to the twelfth century.
The area, which extends to the foot of the Rocca Reale, was not only used for the pastime of the Scottish nobility, but shows unequivocal signs of a structured sporting use. Based on the documents found and the topographic analysis of the land, it is assumed that Already in 1300 King James IV He regularly practiced a primitive football form.
The medieval origins of the field: a sporting use already in the thirteenth century
The hypothesis made by Roger Kay, an expert in Scottish history and member of the Stirling Local History Society, is based on a combination of historical data, geography of the territory and written testimonies. One of the key elements is the presence of a perfectly rectangular area, with a size compatible with a modern football field, located in a flat position between hills and slopes.
There first documented mention King’s Park dates back to 1165, when King Guglielmo I used him as a real park for leisure. However, it is in 1490 that more specific tests emerge: real accounting documents mention purchases of playing balls and the maintenance of a regular field near the castle, frequented by Giacomo IV, known for his passion for sports activities.
Kay stresses that there are currently no other playing fields in the world with continuous and verifiable documentation that certifies their sporting use for over 900 years.
The King’s Park today
Currently, The King’s Park is a Park open to the publicvery frequented by the inhabitants of Stirling for recreational and sporting activities. Despite modest appearance, it is a single site: It is one of the few playing fields survived over the centuries without being incorporated by modern buildings.
This discovery could not only rewrite the origins of football, but also transform Stirling into a new Pilgrimage destination for fans of the most popular sport in the world. An official recognition by the international football authorities, such as FIFA, could soon arrive.
Kay’s work aims at obtain the official protection of the site as a historic sports goodthus opening the way to tourist and cultural enhancement projects that could bring new life and attention to this historical area.
