Two years before the inaugural FIFA World Cup™ in 1930, the newly drafted regulations stipulated that the winners should be rewarded with a new trophy, with French sculptor Abel Lafleur being assigned this prestigious task.

The little trophy had a hazardous existence. The Italian Vice-President of FIFA, Dr.Ottorino Barassi, hid it in a shoe-box under his bed throughout the Second World War and thus saved it from falling into the hands of occupying troops. Then in 1966, the cup disappeared while on display as part of the build-up to the World Cup in England and was only recovered, buried under a tree, by a little dog called Pickles.

Finally, in 1983, it was stolen again, this time in Rio de Janeiro, and apparently melted down by the thieves. The Brazilian Football Association, who had earned the right to keep the trophy after having won it three times, ordered a replica to be made.

The original trophy was 35cm high and weighed approximately 3.8 kg. The statuette was made of sterling silver and gold plated, with a blue base made of semi-precious stone (lapis lazuli).  There was a gold plate on each of the four sides of the base, on which were engraved the name of the trophy as well as the names of the nine winners between 1930 and 1970.

With the Jules Rimet Cup now in the permanent possession of Brazil after their third World Cup™ triumph in Mexico City in 1970, FIFA commissioned a new trophy for the tenth World Cup™ in 1974. A total of 53 designs were submitted to FIFA by experts from seven countries, with the final choice being the work of Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga.

He described his creation thus: "The lines spring out from the base, rising in spirals, stretching out to receive the world. From the remarkable dynamic tensions of the compact body of the sculpture rise the figures of two athletes at the stirring moment of victory".

The current FIFA World Cup™ Trophy cannot be won outright, as the regulations state that it shall remain FIFA's own possession. The World Cup™ winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica, gold-plated rather than solid gold.

The new trophy is 36 cm high, made of solid 18-carat gold and weighs 6175 grammes. The base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite while the bottom side of the Trophy bears the engraved year and name of each FIFA World Cup™ winner since 1974.

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