It's the most coveted object in football — lifted to a roar of confetti once every four years, kissed by the world's greatest players, and chased by entire nations for generations. But the FIFA World Cup Trophy has a backstory most fans have never heard: it's made of solid gold, the winners don't actually get to keep it, and the trophy that came before it was stolen twice — once recovered by a dog. Here are nine facts behind the gleam.
1. It's solid 18-carat gold
The trophy is cast from 18-carat gold and stands 36.8 cm (about 14.5 inches) tall, weighing in at roughly 6.1 kilograms (around 13.5 lb). Pick it up expecting a lightweight cup and you'd be in for a surprise — a meaningful chunk of that weight is precious metal. Its value lies in far more than gold, of course, but as objects go, this one is genuinely heavy with it.
2. A green stone hides at the base
Look closely at the bottom and you'll see two bands of a deep green, semi-precious stone called malachite ringing the base. It's a subtle touch that grounds the design — and a small, deliberate flash of colour against all that gold.
3. The design shows two figures holding up the Earth
The trophy isn't just an abstract cup. It depicts two human figures rising up and holding the Earth aloft — a flowing, almost spiralling form meant to capture the energy and triumph of victory. The sculptor described it as figures bursting upward in the ecstasy of winning.
4. An Italian sculptor designed it
The trophy was created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, whose design was chosen by FIFA from dozens of submissions from around the world. It was crafted in Italy and has been the prize ever since — meaning every iconic World Cup-winning image you've ever seen features Gazzaniga's work.
5. It's only been around since 1974
For all its history, the current trophy is newer than many fans assume — it was first awarded in 1974. That's because it replaced an earlier prize (more on that below), and it means legends from earlier eras lifted a completely different trophy.
6. The winners don't actually keep it
Here's the one that surprises people most: the team that wins the World Cup does not get to keep the trophy. They lift the original for the cameras and the celebrations — but it then returns to FIFA's care. What each winning nation takes home is an official gold-plated replica. The real thing is reserved for the next champions.
7. That rule exists because of what happened last time
Why can't anyone keep it? Because of the trophy that came before. The original prize, the Jules Rimet Trophy (named after the FIFA president who launched the World Cup in 1930), came with a rule that any nation winning it three times could keep it permanently. In 1970, Brazil won their third title and did exactly that. FIFA then needed a new trophy — and decided this one would never be given away for good.
8. The old trophy was stolen — and a dog cracked the case
The Jules Rimet Trophy had a wild life. In 1966, months before the World Cup in England, it was stolen — and then famously found wrapped in newspaper under a hedge by a dog named Pickles, who became a national hero. The trophy's luck eventually ran out: after Brazil took permanent possession, it was stolen again in 1983 and never recovered, widely believed to have been melted down.
9. There's only so much room for names
The names of each winning nation are engraved on the base of the current trophy. But there's a catch: the base has finite space, with room for a set number of champions before it runs out. When it does, FIFA will need a new plinth — a quietly remarkable detail, the idea that football's ultimate prize has a built-in expiry on its own record of winners.
The bottom line
The World Cup Trophy is the rare object that more than lives up to its mythology. It's heavier than it looks, older than its legend suggests in some ways and newer in others, and surrounded by stories — permanent winners, daring thefts, a heroic dog — that are every bit as colourful as the tournament it crowns. The next time you watch a captain hoist it skyward, you'll know exactly what's catching the light: 18-carat gold, a sculptor's vision, and nearly a century of football history.
