The World’s Top Ten Football Trophies

Every year, the world’s greatest footballers compete in a host of prestigious events. So what silverware do the winners of the beautiful game’s biggest competitions receive? Here’s our guide to the top ten football trophies on offer across the globe.

1. The FIFA World Cup

The current FIFA World Cup Trophy was manufactured by an Italian company, Stabilimento Artistico Bertoni. Crafted from 18 carat gold with malachite stones on the base, it features two figures raising the Earth. Introduced in 1974, it replaced the Jules Rimet Trophy, which was given to three-time winners Brazil and later stolen.

2. The FIFA Women’s World Cup

A new gold-plated and aluminium trophy, the work of Sawaya and Moroni, was introduced at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament. Featuring a football within a spiral band, it was recently altered to include a cone-shaped base with an engravable plaque.

3. The FIFA Confederations Cup

This Swiss-made trophy is crafted from gold-plated bronze and lapus lazuli, and features a globe on a ribbon-adorned central section. Six medallions represent the participating continents, while the recently-added ebony base, like all good football trophies, has a plaque that can be engraved.

4. The Summer Olympic Games Medals

Each Summer Olympics winner actually receives a medal, but this event is so prestigious, it’s earned its place within our top ten football trophies. The medal designs vary each time, but consistent features include the Olympic emblem and an image of Nike, Greek Goddess of Victory.

5. The UEFA European Football Championship Trophy

Winners of the Euros take home the impressive-looking Henri Delaunay Trophy, named after UEFA’s first General Secretary. Remodelled for 2008, this 60cm tall, sterling silver award now has an enlarged base, while its built-in marble plinth has been removed.

6. The CAF African Cup of Nations

Introduced in 2001, the Italian-made, gold-plated cup presented to the winners of the Africa Cup of Nations is the third trophy to be used. The original, the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Trophy, was given to the first three-time winners, Ghana, in 1978, while Cameroon got to keep the second version, the African Unity Cup, in 2000.

7. The CONMEBOL Copa América

Presented to the winners of the South American continental championships, the Copa América is a stunning piece of silverware. A donation from Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the South American Football Confederation in 1916, this urn-shaped trophy incorporates a wooden base featuring plaques engraved with the winners names.

8. The CONCACAF Gold Cup

With its curved base and angular handles, the gleaming new CONCACAF Gold Cup has real contemporary style. Made from gold-plated metal, it was introduced in 2013, but incorporates the names of previous North, Central American and Caribbean Confederation championship winners on its base.

9. The FIFA Club World Cup

Boasting a contemporary design, the FIFA Club World Cup incorporates a range of materials, including copper, sterling silver and chrome. The work of British company, Thomas Fattorini Ltd, it includes a globe on six curved pillars, each representing one of the Confederations.

10. The UEFA Champions League Trophy

Fifth-time title holders or triple back-to-back winners of the UEFA Champions League get to keep the trophy, so the current version is the fifth to be made. Introduced in 1967, this 7.5kg silver award was designed by Jürg Stadelmann and took 340 hours to complete.

Which is your favourite football trophy? Do you prefer traditional or contemporary designs? Let us know below.