World Cup Trophy History

Silvio Gazzaniga: The Milan Sculptor Behind the Icon

Silvio Gazzaniga, a 50‑year‑old artist from Milan’s Brera district, won FIFA’s open design contest in 1970 after Brazil claimed the original Jules Rimet Trophy. His winning entry captured three sporting emotions—an athlete’s struggle, a fan’s jubilation and the moment of victory—within a single spiralling form. The sculptor had trained at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts before joining trophy maker G.D.E. Bertoni, a pedigree that helped his piece stand out among more than 50 submissions. Gazzaniga created his masterpiece in a studio on Via Alessandro Volta, where he once said the design resembled two DNA spirals moving upward, symbolising both the world and the energy of competition. The trophy he produced remains the beloved prize lifted at every World Cup final since 1974.

Breaking the Jules Rimet Legacy

The first World Cup trophy, introduced for the 1930 tournament, depicted the Greek goddess Nike and bore the name of FIFA president Jules Rimet. Designed by French sculptor Abel Lafleur, it was made of gold‑plated sterling silver atop a lapis lazuli base. A rule stipulated that any nation winning the cup three times would keep the original, prompting Brazil’s permanent possession after their 1970 victory. FIFA then launched a fresh competition, and the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen twice—once in 1966 in England where a dog named Pickles uncovered it beneath a hedge, and again in 1983 from the Brazilian Football Confederation’s headquarters, never to be recovered. The loss of the older design helped underline the need for a new, more secure trophy.

The Birth of a Modern Trophy Design

Gazzaniga’s entry eclipsed the field, not only because of its artistic vision but also because he submitted a full‑size plaster prototype, allowing judges to inspect the work as a finished object. His son, Giorgio, later explained that the sculpture’s two intertwined forms represented the athlete’s exertion and the movement of the world, with rough textures symbolizing the hardships of competition. The design also incorporated wings reminiscent of the Victory statue, capturing both the competitor’s triumph and the roaring support of the crowd. The piece was fabricated from 18‑carat gold, standing 36 cm tall, and set on a base featuring green malachite rings that stand for the playing fields. Since its first presentation, the trophy has become the definitive symbol of football’s highest achievement.

The Journey from Sketch to Global Icon

West Germany’s captain Franz Beckenbauer lifted the new trophy for the first time after the 1974 final against the Netherlands, marking the start of Gazzaniga’s design as football’s ultimate prize. The trophy remains with FIFA’s Swiss headquarters between tournaments, while the winning nation receives a gold‑plated replica to keep. Giorgio Gazzaniga still recalls watching that night at home, describing the moment the cup was raised in Munich as an explosion of joy that turned an object into an icon. The piece’s enduring presence is underscored by Milan’s 2023 unveiling of a commemorative plaque outside the former studio where the work was conceived. The design’s longevity is further illustrated by the family’s preservation of the original prototype, drawings, and a wax cast in Pioltello, just outside Milan.

Celebrating Gazzaniga’s Legacy

Silvio Gazzaniga earned Milan’s Ambrogino d’Oro in 2003, one of the city’s highest civic honors, recognising his contribution to its artistic heritage. Eight years later he received an international award from the International Association of Numismatists and Medal Designers for a lifetime of work in medals and trophies. Even after his death in 2016 at age 95, his studio’s contents—including sketches, the original plaster prototype and a wax cast—remain on display in Pioltello. Each World Cup now serves as a quiet tribute, echoing the sculptor’s original vision each time the silver‑toned icon is raised. On Sunday, either Spain or Argentina will add their own chapter to this story as they lift the trophy that Gazzaniga designed 55 years ago, continuing a tradition that still captures the struggle, joy and triumph of the game.

The 2026 final promises another surge of emotion, as the winner prepares to hoist the timeless design that still reflects the spirit of athletes and fans alike in Milan’s beloved craftsmanship.