The winners of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will lift the most expensive trophy in all of sports. But what is the trophy, when was it first given out and how much is it worth today?
Well, FIFA has presented the captain of the winning nation with two trophies in the history of its quadrennial competition. The governing body changed the award at the 1974 edition in Germany for the version still in use today. So, Qatar 2022 will mark its 13th appearance yet.
FIFA originally presented the Jules Rimet trophy to the winning country at each World Cup from 1930 to 1970. It was given out at nine editions of the tournament, with Brazil the last nation to receive it. The Selecao’s success in Mexico was also their third of five titles so far.
What is the trophy for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar?
The winners of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will hold aloft the same trophy as every past champion since 1974. It is simply called the ‘FIFA World Cup Trophy’ but is the most expensive award in all of sports. NBC reports its value is as much as $20m (£18m) today.
It is worth so much as FIFA made the World Cup trophy from pure 18k gold, weighing in at 13.5 lbs (6 kg). Likely given its value, FIFA wrote into its regulations that it keeps the trophy after all tournaments. The winning nations instead permanently keep gold-plated replicas.
There is one official version of the FIFA World Cup Trophy, which is 36.8 cm (14.5 inches) tall. The version the winning nation receives is called the FIFA World Cup Winners’ Trophy.
Why did FIFA change the World Cup trophy from the Jules Rimet?
FIFA commissioned the design of a new World Cup trophy ahead of the 10th edition to be held in 1974. The governing body received 53 applications from seven countries but opted for Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga’s submission. FIFA has only altered the design once since.
Gazzaniga designed the trophy to depict two human figures holding up the Earth. Its base is made of two layers of semi-precious malachite with ‘FIFA World Cup’ engraved on it. The underside of the trophy is also engraved with the year and name of every winning country.
FIFA had to alter the design of the underneath following Germany winning the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. The vertical alignment of the names of each winning nation was changed to a spiral in order to create additional space to include the names of winners of future editions.
Why was the original World Cup trophy named after Jules Rimet?
The first World Cup trophy was originally called ‘Victory’ but FIFA renamed it after Jules Rimet in 1946. Rimet was the third FIFA president and led the governing body from 1921 to 1954. He is the longest-serving president and was also the founder of the first World Cup.
French sculptor Abel Lafleur designed the first World Cup trophy to depict the Goddess of Victory holding an octagonal vessel above her head. FIFA produced the trophy from gold-plated sterling silver, while semi-precious stones were chosen to make up the base of it.
The base was also replaced with a taller version in 1954 to accommodate further names of winning nations. It took its height to 35 cm (14 inches) and its weight up to 8.4 lbs (3.8 kg).
What happened to the Jules Rimet trophy?
FIFA permanently awarded Brazil the Jules Rimet trophy in 1970 as the Selecao won their third World Cup. It was written into the FIFA regulations at the time that any nation to win three titles would retain the trophy. Brazil had previously won the title in 1958 and 1962.
Germany and Italy are the only other nations to win the World Cup more than twice. But Die Mannschaft did not lift a second gong until 1974, while the Azzurri’s third success was in 1982. Both have since won a fourth to trail record World Cup champions Brazil by one.
Yet while FIFA presented Brazil with the Jules Rimet trophy to keep, it was stolen in 1983 and has never been seen again. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) had the trophy on display in its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro following their success at the 1970 edition.
The Rio de Janerio robbery was the second time the Jules Rimet was stolen
The robbery at the CBF offices in Rio de Janeiro actually marked the second time that the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen. It had already been taken 17 years earlier while on display in London ahead of the 1966 World Cup. But FIFA eventually recovered the award then.
FIFA had granted the Football Association permission to display the Jules Rimet trophy in Westminster Central Hall. But four months before the World Cup was due to start, it was stolen. FIFA notes on its website that the thief sought a ransom of £15,000 for its return.
Stanley Rous, then FIFA president had instructed The FA to organise 24-hour security to guard the trophy whilst on display. But security was ultimately not around the clock and the thief was able to sneak in between 11:00 and 12:10 whilst the exhibition was closed.
Eventually, FIFA recovered the trophy with the help of David Corbett and his dog, Pickles. But by discovering the trophy, Corbett became the prime suspect in the robbery. His name was ultimately cleared after a few hours of questioning by police and weeks as a suspect.
How did David Corbett and Pickles find the Jules Rimet trophy?
Corbett recounted to FIFA.com in 2020 how he discovered the Jules Rimet trophy whilst walking back from a phone box across the road from his house. Pickles – a mixed-breed Collie – had started sniffing an unusual package on the ground near his neighbour’s car.
“It was wrapped in tightly-bound newspaper and string, laying against my neighbour’s car wheel,” Corbett said. “At the time the IRA [Irish Republican Army] were at large, so I personally thought it was a bomb. So, I put it down. Picked it up, put it down again.
“Then curiosity took hold, I tore a bit off the bottom and there was a plain disc. I tore around and there was Brazil, Germany [and] Uruguay. I ran back in and said to my wife: ‘I think I’ve found the World Cup!’”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
