In every field, there are competitions designed to encourage rivalry and drive development. In sports, particularly football, this is no exception. The world of football is centered on the pursuit of prestigious titles, ranging from club championships to national team honors. Trophies serve as a measure of a team's success, not only in terms of skill but also legacy and influence. In today's article, let's join Wintips admin to review the most expensive sports trophy in the world of football.
What is the most expensive sports trophy?
1. FIFA World Cup - The most expensive sports trophy
The FIFA World Cup trophy is the ultimate symbol of victory in the FIFA World Cup. Since 1930, there have been two iterations of this prestigious trophy: the Jules Rimet Trophy (1930-1970) and the FIFA World Cup Trophy (1974-present). The Jules Rimet Trophy was crafted from sterling silver with gold plating and lapis lazuli, featuring the figure of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, introduced in 1974, is made of solid 18-carat gold with a malachite base.
The Brazilian national team won the Jules Rimet Trophy and retained it permanently after their third victory in 1970. However, the trophy was stolen in 1983 and subsequently replaced by a new FIFA World Cup Trophy, made of 18-carat gold, which is currently held by the French national team, the champions of the 2018 World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup title is the ultimate aspiration of every football team, as it holds great significance in the world of football. This redesigned trophy, created by artist Silvio Gazzaniga, symbolizes power and glory, standing at 14.5 inches tall and weighing 13.5 pounds.
2. UEFA EURO
The UEFA European Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro or simply Euro, is an international tournament for men's national teams organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to crown the European continental champion. The tournament has taken place every four years since 1960, except the 2020 edition, which was held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Euro features 24 European teams competing, but only one team is crowned champion. The trophy, named the Henri Delaunay Trophy in honor of UEFA's first General Secretary who conceived the idea of a European championship, is a silver cup weighing 8 kg and standing 60 cm tall. The winning team also receives a gold medal, and each participating team receives a commemorative plaque.
After 15 tournaments, the UEFA European Championship has witnessed 10 unique champions: Germany and Spain each securing three titles, France and Italy winning two titles each, while the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Greece, and Portugal have each claimed one title.
Spain is the only team to have won back-to-back UEFA European Championship titles, triumphing in 2008 and 2012. The UEFA European Championship is the second most-watched sporting event worldwide, trailing only the FIFA World Cup. The Euro 2012 final drew an estimated 300 million viewers across the globe. Italy is the reigning champion, having defeated England in a penalty shootout at Euro 2020.
3. UEFA Champions League - The most expensive sports trophy
The UEFA Champions League, commonly referred to as UCL and formerly known as the European Cup, is an annual club football competition organized by UEFA, featuring Europe's top clubs. The UEFA Champions League is among the most prestigious club competitions in football. Millions of fans watch the tournament closely, and every professional club in Europe aspires to claim the title. Winning the title grants a team the right to wear the champion’s badge on their jersey for the following season.
"Only clubs from European countries can compete in this top-tier, longstanding tournament. Real Madrid holds the most titles in the competition, with 13 titles to their name. The tournament organizers have experimented with various cup designs over the years.
4. England Premier League - The most expensive sports trophy
The English Premier League (EPL) is the top-tier football league in England, consisting of 20 clubs. The season runs from August to May, with each team playing 38 matches. The Premier League is the most-watched football league in the world, broadcast in over 212 territories, reaching 643 million households and approximately 4.7 billion viewers.
During the 2014-2015 season, a Premier League match on average attracted around 36,000 spectators. As of 2022, the Premier League holds the top spot in UEFA's coefficient rankings. The Premier League is one of the most lucrative football leagues in the world, generating billions in revenue annually.
Manchester United is the most decorated club in Premier League history, boasting a record 20 league titles. Manchester City FC was the reigning champion of the 2020-21 season. The Premier League trophy, crafted from silver, silver gilt, and malachite, symbolizes the prestige of England's top-tier football league. It is a revered emblem of English football, designed with inspiration from the Three Lions and adorned with a gold crown.
5. England FA Cup
The FA Cup is an annual knockout football competition for men's football clubs in England. Established in the 1871-72 season, it stands as the world's oldest football tournament. It is organized by the Football Association (FA) of England, from which it derives its name. Since 2015, the tournament has been officially named The Emirates FA Cup, following a sponsorship agreement with Emirates Airlines.
This football competition is open to any eligible football club from level 10 of the English football league system. A record 763 clubs participated in the 2011-2012 season. The original FA Cup trophy was stolen in 1895 while in the possession of Aston Villa and was never recovered. A replica was used to replace the original, but a new design was introduced to replace it in 1911. The design has remained unchanged to this day. The current trophy is made of 925 sterling silver, handcrafted over 250 hours, and weighs 6.3 kg.
6. Copa América
Copa América, also known as the South American Football Championship, is the premier championship for South American national teams, organized by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). It is a continental-level tournament because, in football, South America and North America are considered two separate continents. The Copa América is the oldest international football tournament in the world, first held in 1916. In addition to the 10 members of CONMEBOL, since 1993, each edition has featured two additional national teams from other football federations (usually CONCACAF). As South America has only 10 national teams, there are no qualifiers for this tournament.
Argentina and Uruguay hold the record for the most Copa América titles, each winning the tournament 15 times. Since CONMEBOL is one of FIFA's six continental confederations, the Copa América, organized by CONMEBOL, is comparable to other continental tournaments such as the UEFA European Championship (UEFA), the Africa Cup of Nations (CAF), the AFC Asian Cup (AFC), the CONCACAF Gold Cup (CONCACAF), and the OFC Nations Cup (OFC).
7. Spanish La Liga - The most expensive sports trophy
Spain's top-tier professional football league is commonly known as La Liga. It is also referred to as the Primera División in Spain and La Liga Santander due to a sponsorship deal with Santander. It represents the highest level of men's professional football in Spain.
Overseen by the Liga de Fútbol Profesional, the league consists of 20 teams. At the end of each season, the bottom three teams are relegated to the Segunda División, and their spots are taken by the top two teams from the Segunda División along with the winner of the promotion play-off.
La Liga is one of the most popular professional sports leagues globally, with an average attendance of 26,933 spectators per match in the 2018–2019 season. This attendance figure ranks sixth among domestic professional sports leagues worldwide and third among professional football leagues globally, only behind the Premier League and Bundesliga.
8. Italian Serie A - The most expensive sports trophy
Serie A, also known as Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by TIM, is a professional football league featuring the top football clubs in the Italian football league system, with the winning team receiving the Scudetto and Coppa Campioni d'Italia. The league has operated on a round-robin format for over 90 years since the 1929–1930 season.
Serie A is considered one of the best football leagues in the world and is often described as the most tactically sophisticated national championship. The league ranks third among European leagues in the UEFA coefficient rankings, behind La Liga and the Premier League but ahead of the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. This ranking is based on the performance of Italian clubs in the Champions League and Europa League over the past five years. Serie A led the UEFA rankings from 1986 to 1988 and again from 1990 to 1999.
9. Germany Bundesliga
The Bundesliga, Germany's top-tier professional football league, is the highest level of competition within the German football system. The season, featuring 18 teams, runs from August to May, with matches primarily held on Saturdays and Sundays. Bayern Munich is the most successful team, having won 31 titles.
However, the league has also produced successful teams such as Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV, Werder Bremen, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and VfB Stuttgart. The Bundesliga is also renowned for its high attendance figures, averaging 45,116 spectators per match during the 2011-2012 season. This ranked second globally behind the NFL, the American football league.
The Bundesliga trophy awarded to the champion is a masterpiece designed by Professor Elisabeth Treskow in 1964. The 11-kg silver plate is adorned with a 71.98-carat tourmaline, silver, and gold, and has become a significant symbol of excellence in the league.
10. CAF Nations League - The most expensive sports trophy
The Africa Cup of Nations is a football tournament among African nations organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The tournament was first held in 1957 with just three participating teams. Since 1968, the tournament has been officially held every two years. Since 2013, the tournament has been scheduled to take place in odd-numbered years to avoid clashing with the FIFA World Cup.
As a result, the tournament was held in back-to-back years, 2012 and 2013, which last happened 50 years prior. The 2021 edition of the tournament was postponed to January 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Taking place biennially, the Africa Cup of Nations features the top 24 national teams in Africa.
Since its inception in 1957, teams have competed throughout the tournament to prove themselves to be the strongest on the continent. Egypt has the most successful record with seven victories. The current trophy is a gold-plated cup manufactured in Italy. The elegant trophy features a model of the Earth surrounded by footballs. The Africa Cup of Nations trophy has undergone three distinct versions since 1980.
Conclusion
This is a list of the most expensive sports trophies in the world. As mentioned, reaching the final match and winning these trophies is a challenging feat. Football teams must invest financially, physically, and mentally in their preparation. Of course, luck plays a role, as it is an indispensable ingredient in sports. These cups serve as a symbol of pride and unity, fostering bonding among team members. Thank you for your interest in today's article. If you're interested in online betting, choose one of the top 10 bookmakers betting by Wintips on the homepage. Best regards.
See also: Ranking of the highest paid women soccer player in the world - Updated to 4/2024
