A Guide to Soccer's Most Coveted Trophies

Every great competition ends with a trophy being lifted under stadium lights, confetti falling, and an entire team celebrating the culmination of months or years of effort. But the trophies themselves have stories — stories of Italian sculptors, stolen originals, solid gold craftsmanship, and designs that have become inseparable from the drama of the sport.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy

The current FIFA World Cup trophy was designed by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga in 1974. Standing 36.8 centimeters tall and weighing 6.175 kilograms, it is made of 18-karat gold with a base featuring two layers of malachite (a semi-precious green stone). The design depicts two human figures holding up the Earth in celebration. The trophy replaced the original Jules Rimet Trophy, which was permanently awarded to Brazil after their third World Cup win in 1970 — and was later stolen and never recovered. The current trophy is estimated to be worth approximately $20 million in raw materials alone and is one of the most recognizable objects on Earth.

The UEFA Champions League Trophy

Known officially as the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the Champions League trophy stands 73.5 centimeters tall and weighs 7.5 kilograms. Made of sterling silver, the trophy features the distinctive large handles (or "big ears" as players affectionately call them) that have become one of the most iconic silhouettes in sport. A club that wins the trophy three consecutive times, or five times overall, gets to keep a full-size replica permanently. The original trophy has been lifted by some of the greatest teams in history, from Real Madrid's dominant era in the 1950s to the modern dynasties of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.

The Copa Libertadores Trophy

The Copa Libertadores de America is South America's most prestigious club competition — the equivalent of the Champions League for the continent that gave the world Pele, Maradona, and Messi. First contested in 1960, the tournament is named after the liberators of South America (Simon Bolivar, Jose de San Martin, and others who fought for independence from colonial rule). The trophy itself is a large silver cup with handles, engraved with the names of every winning club. What makes the Copa Libertadores truly special is the intensity of the competition — matches are played at altitude in Bogota, in the heat of Barranquilla, in the thin air of La Paz, and in the cauldron-like atmospheres of La Bombonera and the Maracana. The trophy represents survival as much as skill. Clubs like Independiente of Argentina (seven titles), Boca Juniors, River Plate, Sao Paulo FC, Santos, and Flamengo have all etched their names into Libertadores legend. For South American clubs, winning this trophy is considered a greater achievement than any domestic title.

The Copa America Trophy

The Copa America trophy is the prize for the oldest international continental championship in football, first contested in 1916. The current trophy was created in 1979 by a Peruvian silversmith and stands about 77 centimeters tall. Made of sterling silver and gold-plated, it features wooden handles and is topped with a map of South America. The trophy represents the fierce rivalries between South American footballing nations — Brazil versus Argentina, Uruguay versus Brazil — that have produced some of the most passionate and intense matches in the history of the sport.

The Premier League Trophy

The Premier League trophy, introduced in 1992, is made of sterling silver and silver gilt, and weighs about 25 kilograms — making it one of the heaviest major football trophies. It is plated with gold and features a crown made from solid gold, adorned with jewels. The crown sits atop a malachite plinth, the green color representing the grass of a football pitch. Every season, the handles are fitted with ribbons in the colors of the winning team.

The Europa League Trophy

The UEFA Europa League trophy weighs 15 kilograms and stands 65 centimeters tall. Designed to have a modern and dynamic look, it was created when the competition was rebranded from the UEFA Cup in 2009. While it may not carry the same prestige as the Champions League trophy, it represents a vital competition that has given clubs from smaller leagues their greatest moments in European football.

Legends Cast in Metal

What makes a trophy iconic is not just its materials or its weight, but the moments attached to it — Maradona kissing the World Cup, Gerrard lifting the Champions League in Istanbul, Messi finally holding the Copa America, Flamengo's dramatic last-minute Copa Libertadores victory in 2019. These objects become vessels for memory, containers for decades of emotion and drama. That is why a replica on a desk or a high-resolution image on a screen can still stir something deep in a football fan. The trophy is the dream made tangible.