Who made the FIFA World Cup trophy? The story of Milan sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga

The FIFA World Cup trophy’s modern design is credited to Milan sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, whose spiral form aimed to convey three emotions in one object: an athlete’s struggle, the fan’s joy, and the instant of victory. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup final, where either Spain or Argentina will lift the trophy, the article traces how FIFA replaced the original award in response to Brazil’s dominance. After Brazil took permanent possession of the old trophy by winning its third World Cup in 1970, FIFA held an open competition for a new design, selecting 50-year-old Gazzaniga from Milan. His winning entry was created in his studio in the Brera district and features two swirling figures rising toward an orb representing the Earth. The article notes he trained at Milan’s Brera Academy of Fine Arts, later joining trophy maker G.D.E. Bertoni, and also designed the UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Intercontinental Cup. The earlier Jules Rimet trophy, designed by Abel Lafleur, was stolen twice, including a 1966 theft in England and a 1983 theft in Brazil that was never recovered.