Argentina's Lionel Messi holds up the World Cup trophy after the 2022 final in Qatar.
Image: Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP
The FIFA World Cup takes place across the United States, Mexico and Canada, marking a new era for the global showpiece and FIFA’s vision for the game.
Graphic shows gold valuation of FIFA World Cup trophy, 1974-2026.
Image: Graphic News
The prestigious prize was first awarded to West Germany after their victory in the 1974 tournament, and now resides permanently at the FIFA World Football Museum in Zürich.
The original trophy survived World War II hidden under a bed in Italy by FIFA vice-president Ottorino Barassi. Stolen in England before the 1966 World Cup, it was found in a rubbish heap by a dog called Pickles.
The current trophy weighs 6.1kg and stands 36 centimetres high. Designed and made by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, it is made of 18-carat gold with two layers of malachite, and shows two athletes holding up the earth “at the stirring moment of victory”.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy can no longer be won outright, it remains in FIFA’s permanent possession. The winners receive a gold-plated replica, known as the FIFA World Cup Winners’ Trophy.
Graphic News