Italian sculptor reimagines the Jules Rimet trophy in Milan

Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga has begun work in a sun‑lit studio in Milan’s historic Brera district on a new prize for the FIFA World Cup, intended to replace the iconic Jules Rimet trophy that was stolen twice after Brazil secured permanent ownership in 1970. His ambition was to encapsulate the raw emotion of football, intertwining the athlete’s arduous struggle, the fan’s ecstatic jubilation and the ultimate moment of victory into one dynamic, spiralling form. That concept guided the sculptural language of the final piece. The final design features two athletic figures spiralling upwards from the base, supporting an orb that represents the Earth. The trophy stands 36 centimetres tall, is cast in 18‑carat gold and rests on a base of green malachite. Gazzaniga’s son Giorgio, then a teenager, recalled his father’s process, saying, "When he started to design the cup, he was sketching a huge number of drawings and finally started to develop the idea to have the world and this symbol that it is like a two DNA spirals, that are moving up." He described the emerging form as two DNA‑like spirals rising together.

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Silvio Gazzaniga, a celebrated sculptor who worked for G.D.E. Bertoni Srl, also created the UEFA Cup and the European Super‑Cup before his death in 2016. His legacy in football design spans several major European trophies. The predecessor, the Jules Rimet Trophy, debuted in 1930 with a winged Nike figure. It was stolen in 1966, recovered by a dog named Pickles, and stolen again in 1983, never to be found and believed melted down.

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More than fifty entries were submitted for the new prize, but Gazzaniga was the only designer to present a full three‑dimensional model. This allowed the FIFA jury to fully appreciate its intricate narrative. This Sunday, as either Spain or Argentina vie for glory in the 2026 World Cup final, the winning captain will hoist the iconic trophy. The symbol has now graced fourteen tournaments and will continue to define football’s highest stage.