Do you know that the World Cup Trophy was once stolen?



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As you know that the 1st world cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. After the decision of the venue was made for world cup, the Federation de’ International Football Association {FIFA} concentrated on the trophy design. The FIFA authorities’ meeting decided to award the team to be the winner of the world cup with a Gold Trophy. Consequently, the responsibility to design and make the trophy was assigned to the famous French Architect, Ebell Lefleyar. He accomplished the given task by making the trophy which was 35 cms in height and weighed 8.37 lbs { 3.8 kgs}. He gave the very trophy the shape of Ancient Greek  Divine “Goddess” which is considered as the symbol of Victory and then the 1st trophy of the World Cup Football came into existence which was “gold plated” with 3.96 lbs{1.8 kgs} of Gold. The total cost for the trophy construction incurred was “50 Francs”.

The 2nd world war was ignited in 1939 that lasted till 1945. After the war was over, in 1946 the FIFA granted the 1st world cup trophy to its most prominent chairman Julius Rematt in the name of honoring him. But there is one event that happened before 2nd world war which was quite bouncy. It was Italy that won the 3rd World Cup Football in 1938. Due to the increasing tempt of the “Nazis” in Europe, it was very difficult for the Italian Football Association to protect the World cup Trophy. The contemporary Chairman of the IFA Otorino Barassi even tried hiding the trophy inside the shoe case under his bed. But his effort was in vain and the thing which he didn’t want to have happened took place.


In spite of this, the trophy disappeared from “West Minister Central Hall” for the first time, four months before the World cup which was gonna be in England on 20th March, 1966.  Luckily, the trophy was found after a week, in the garden at the Upper Norwood in Southern London which was wrapped with a Newspaper.

Brazil won the world cup in 1958, 1962 and 1972 and thus it was granted the right over the Julius Rematt, for the first time in the world cup’s history. But the very cup was again stolen in 19th December, 1983 from the BFA, Rio de Janeiro. It was then supposed that the trophy had been already melted and thus it gave the responsibility of making the replica trophy to the German Architect, Eastman Kodak. He gave the final shape to the replica which was made by using 3.96 lbs{1.8 kgs} of Gold that cost US$ 34,800. It was handed over to FIFA in 1984. 

Before that, when the 1st trophy was stolen in 1970,  the FIFA had given responsibility of designing a new world cup to the Famous Italian Architect Silvhio Gajanick. He is the one who created the new world cup trophy. The later trophy was designed after considering the 53 models of trophy from different countries. This trophy was handed over from the beginning of the mid seventies world cup, i.e. 1974 world cup. The very world cup trophy is still used in the World cup football. This trophy weighs 13.61 lbs(6.175 kgs).

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