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The crazy story of the World Cup trophy: theft, war and a hero dog

2026-06-05 15:10:03Sport SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

The World Cup was created in 1930, but its current trophy dates back to 1974, 44 years after the first edition.

The trophy to be awarded at the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is made of 18-karat gold, with a malachite base, and depicts two human figures holding the Earth.

Furthermore, only the World Cup champions are allowed to touch the original trophy, and after it is awarded at the final ceremony, it is replaced with a replica. The original is then kept locked up and tours the world for months before the start of the competition.

To understand the present day, we must first take a look at history and understand why it is so limiting.

Between 1930 and 1974, the official World Cup trophy was the Jules Rimet Trophy, named after the FIFA president of the same name from 1921 to 1954.

His story includes traveling on the transatlantic ship Conte Verde to Uruguay for the first World Cup in 1930, hiding in Italy during World War II to prevent the Nazis from taking him, several thefts, and even being found by a dog.

Thus, the history of this trophy is very rich, full of anecdotes and unusual moments, leading to the mystery that surrounds it today. It can only be touched by a privileged few in the world (all champions) and is the most coveted prize for all fans, including national teams, players and coaches, who all dream of lifting it on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New York during the 2026 World Cup final.

Jules Rimet's original trophy (originally called the "Triumph") featured Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, holding an octagonal cup made of pure silver and plated with gold with a lapis lazuli base.

It was created by French sculptor Abel Lafleur as a gift for the winner of the first FIFA World Cup. The trophy was named after Jules Rimet, the president of FIFA at the time, in recognition of his role in promoting the growth of football, with this competition as his crown jewel.

The truth is that this trophy did not have the importance it might seem today; it gained fame through an incident that forever changed its history when, during the Rugby World Cup in England in 1966, it was stolen and later found by an animal.

The context was that, while the trophy was on display in London, someone stole it. For several days, no one knew its whereabouts.

The news went international and the result caused quite a stir: it was a dog named Pickles who found him wrapped in newspaper under some bushes while out for a walk with his owner, turning him into a celebrity who is still remembered today.

This was not the only theft and it suffered further losses. The last was in 1983 and was never seen again, considered a lost object and supposedly melted down and sold, although the truth was never revealed.

The rule stipulated that when a team won three World Cups, it would keep the Jules Rimet trophy forever. And so it was. Brazil, after winning the trophies in the 1958 editions in Sweden, 1962 in Chile and 1970 in Mexico, saw the Brazilian Football Confederation add the coveted title to its collection and FIFA undertook the project for a new design.

The current trophy was created by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, who also designed the UEFA Cup, the European Super Cup, the Africa Cup of Nations and even, in other sports, the Baseball World Cup.

Some interesting facts about the trophy are that it is 36 cm tall, weighs 6.175 kg and is made of 18-carat gold. Some of the champions who have lifted it include Messi in 2022, Maradona in 1986 and Beckenbauer in 1974, among other legends. Now it awaits the next winner of the main competition.


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