Here are some interesting facts about FIFA world cup trophy

The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport’s global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War. The current champion is Germany, which won its fourth title at the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

There have been two trophies used for the world cup since its advent in 1930: The Jules Rimet trophy from 1930-1974 and the current FIFA World Cup trophy from 1974 till now.
First Fifa world cup trophy was stolen twice, but it was recovered first time but then again it was stolen then it disappeared. Some believed that trophy has been melted down and sold.

Also Read : Denmark V France : Its the first goalless game of this WorldCup

The original trophy – the Jules Rimet Cup – was awarded permanently to Brazil, the first nation to win three World Cups, in 1970. But after it’s stolen there is just replica of that trophy is left.

• The second FIFA world cup trophy was designed in 1971 by Italian sculpture artist Silvio Gazzaniga.
• The cost of this trophy was 50 thousand dollars or about 34 lakh rupees but now its value is 10 million dollars, which is approximately 68.15 crore rupees.
• The 36.8 cm (14.4 inches) tall trophy is made up of 18 karats of pure gold and its base is made of two layers of Malachite which has a 13 cm (5.1 inches) long diameter. It weighs 6.17 kilograms.
• According to chemistry professor Martyn Poliakoff, of Nottingham University, a solid gold World Cup trophy would weigh around 70kg, making it too heavy for footballers to lift over their heads. Poliakoff said the ball at the top must be hollow, partly to be light enough to lift, and also if it’s not then it would be “a big waste of gold”.

Sure, the winning nation gets to lift the real trophy, but when the celebrations are over they take home a cheaper replica. The ever-parsimonious Fifa keeps the original, possibly because it doesn’t trust anyone else to look after it.