The Jules Rimet era
From 1930 through 1970, winners received the Jules Rimet Trophy, named for FIFA's longest serving president at the time. Brazil won the tournament three times by 1970 and kept that original cup permanently under rules of the day. Uruguay lifted the first version in 1930. Italy and Germany also held it during its journey. The old trophy's story still appears in documentaries whenever fans search trophies for world cup in plural.
Silvio Gazzaniga's design since 1974
FIFA commissioned Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga after Brazil kept the Jules Rimet piece. The new trophy shows two athletes rising with the Earth in their hands. It is not a cup you drink from. It is a sculpture. Winners after West Germany 1974 lift this version. Names of champions are engraved on the base over time. The look is instantly recognizable on posters, games, and news thumbnails.
Do winners keep the real trophy
National teams do not take the authentic trophy home forever. FIFA keeps it. Captains lift it on the pitch, photographers capture the moment, and the original returns to FIFA custody. Federations receive gold plated replicas for museums and parade events. Fans asking do national teams keep the real world cup should read that sentence twice. The replica in Buenos Aires after 2022 is not the same object Lusail Stadium saw that night.
Size, weight, and material value
The trophy weighs roughly 6.1 kilograms and stands about 36.8 centimeters tall. The gold content has melt value, but the cultural value dwarfs metal prices. Replica merchandise sold online is not the tournament prize. Auction stories about stolen or missing older trophies belong to history books, not to shopping guides.
Trophies people confuse with this one
The Club World Cup has its own trophy. Continental championships like the European Championship and Copa America use different silverware. Women's World Cup winners lift a separate design. Youth tournaments are another category entirely. Cricket and rugby world cups share words in search queries but not hardware. This page is only about the men's FIFA World Cup prize.
Presentation ritual after the final
After the last whistle, FIFA stages a podium sequence. The winning captain receives the trophy, lifts it, and teammates join. Runners up get medals. Third place may be decided earlier in the tournament week. Television close ups of the trophy drive millions of searches within minutes. If you are planning travel for 2026, the final show is at /world-cup-2026-final, not here.
Stars on jerseys and federation branding
Brazil wear five stars above the crest for five men's World Cup titles. Germany and Italy show four. Argentina added a third star after Qatar 2022. Those stars refer to this trophy, not Olympic gold or continental cups. When brands sell replica trophies, they mimic Gazzaniga's shape under license. Buying a replica is fine. Confusing it with the original is not.
Related coverage
Frequently asked questions
Who lifts the trophy first?+
The winning captain, then the team joins on the podium.
How many World Cups has Brazil won?+
Five men's titles. See /world-cup-winners-list.
Is there a separate women's trophy?+
Yes. Different design and tournament.
Where was the 2022 trophy presented?+
Lusail Stadium after Argentina beat France on penalties.
Can supporters touch the real cup?+
Only at FIFA approved public events, not at random stadium gates.
What happened to the Jules Rimet trophy?+
Brazil kept it after winning a third time by 1970.
Do clubs win this same trophy?+
No. Clubs compete for the Club World Cup prize instead.
Who won the last World Cup?+
Argentina in 2022. See /who-won-the-last-world-cup.