The current World Cup trophy is believed to be made of solid gold. However, a British chemistry professor revealed that the trophy is likely to be hollow as a solid trophy weighs 154 lb (70 kgs). FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour The Jules Rimet Cup was the original trophy of the FIFA World Cup. Originally called "Victory", but generally known simply as the World Cup or Coupe du Monde, it was renamed in 1946 to honour the FIFA President Jules Rimet, who in 1929 passed a vote to initiate the competition. It was designed by French sculptor Abel Lafleur and made of gold-plated sterling silver on a lapis lazuli base. [4] In 1954 the base was replaced with a taller version to accommodate more winner's details. It stood 35centimetres (14in) high and weighed 3.8kilograms (8.4lb). [5]

a b c d e "The FIFA World Cup Trophy". FIFA. Archived from the original on 1 June 2015 . Retrieved 19 February 2016. The journey of the FIFA World Cup trophy started with Jules Rimet, the third president of world football governing body FIFA. He laid down the plans for a football World Cup in 1928 and subsequently passed a vote the following year to hold the first edition in Uruguay in 1930. Famously, the trophy was engraved with the winner’s name before they received it and there was much speculation as to when the engraver was sure enough of the outcome to begin. Only once did he made a mistake: in 1999, when Jean van de Velde infamously choked with a triple bogey on the 18th hole. Paul Lawrie subsequently won the playoff and the engraver had to scratch through van de Velde’s name. The winning golfer’s name is now only added after his scorecard is verified by officials. On 19 December 1983, the wooden rear of the cabinet was opened by force with a crowbar and the cup was stolen again. [16] Four men were tried and convicted in absentia for the crime. [17] The trophy has never been recovered, and it is widely believed to have been melted down and sold. [18] Only one piece of the Jules Rimet Trophy has been found, the original base, which FIFA had kept in a basement of the federation's Zürich headquarters prior to 2015. [19] A redesigned trophy, called the FIFA World Cup trophy, is the one used today and has been handed to the winners every four years, starting 1974. Jules Rimet Trophy: 1930-1970Alemanha x Argentina – AO VIVO". UOL. 13 July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014 . Retrieved 14 July 2014. Nowadays, the trophy is awarded to the winners of the World Endurance Championship Six Hours of Silverstone, which is the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The last British winner was Anthony Davidson for Toyota Racing in 2014.

The old trophy’s exciting journey didn’t end there as it ended up being stolen on a couple of occasions. The first incident took place in England ahead of the 1966 World Cup. The Jules Rimet Trophy was put on a public exhibition at Westminster Central Hall on 20 March 1966, when the theft took place. The Jules Rimet Trophy had had quite a fascinating history. When World War II broke out, Italy was the current world champion. So Ottorino Barassi, who was vice-President of FIFA and President of Italy’s football federation, took it upon himself to hide the trophy from the clutches of the Nazis. Barassi hid the trophy in a shoebox under his bed while the war raged in most of Europe. Sculptors from seven countries sent in 53 submissions for the new design but eventually, it was commissioned to Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga. The design sees arching lines from the base spiral up and forms the base for a golden replica of the world. The trophy is hollow from the inside. The current FIFA World Cup trophy (Getty Images)The FIFA World Cup trophy, since its inception, has been the object of desire for every football-playing nation in the world, more than 200 of them currently, and their epic struggles on the field to win it has produced some memorable moments.