The Ultimate Prize

July 9th, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

France or Italy. One of these teams tonight will earn the right to lift the greatest prize in sports, the World Cup. Here are some facts about the trophy that will be the center of the world’s attention in just a few more hours.

* The Jules Rimet Cup now in the permanent possession of Brazil after their third World Cup championship in 1970. FIFA commissioned a new trophy in 1974. A total of 53 designs were submitted to FIFA by experts from seven countries, with the final choice being the work of Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga.

* The current World Cup Trophy cannot be won outright, as the regulations state that it shall remain FIFA’s own possession. The World Cup winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica, gold-plated rather than solid gold.

* The trophy is 36 cm high, made of solid 18-carat gold and weighs 4,970 grams. The base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite and has room for 17 small plaques bearing the name of the winners – space enough for the World Champions up to the year 2038.

* Only five countries have won the World Cup since the new trophy was introduced and that statistic will not change after today’s final.

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squiggle

You forgot:

* It is hideous.
LUK

Italian design of course!
Rina

what do u french know abt design? half yr luxury brands hv foreign head designers!!! go look at architecture. hv u heard of PITTI???? the hideous french restaurants or any restaurant in paris speaks for itself. u french know nothing abt contemporary design. just putting a da vinci in the louvre is not enuf guys, wake up guys.

i hope with all my heart that italy wins. i live in france and cant stand the french arrogance, im here bcoz my non-french boyfriend has to work here for some years…..u need to be made shut the hell up for once….even if it means some time of peace ! im getting out of this ego centric country the day i get a chance!!

u guys hv no idea what we expats think of u. u r too busy critising the world that u forget to look inwards. tonight now is personal very personal, im sure many foreigners in this country will agree with me:)
squiggle

I criticized it. I’m not French. I love both Italy and France. It is still a fugly trophy.
LUK

wow! I think that you are a little bit irritable…

…i’ve not said that in france there are only bad designer.
Alessandro

I like that trophy! Great design!

Wow Rina, where r u from? I think u r an exception, many people like the place here, including me.
http://www.nothingandall.blogspot.com/ fernando

I will enjoy to see France crying later !
erica

Italy was great i am so happy. I was so exicted they won. I hate France, and they dont know what they are doing. Italy you ROCK. GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!
erica

OMG ITALY WON. I KNEW THEY WOULD WIN
milan

italy is the best no matter wat. i am jewish but hey gotta love the italians
kevin

This trophy looks like what the veterinarian removed from my dog.
I didn’t know he would dip it in gold and mount it upside down
Ai Lin

Shame Italy! You won by devious means ( fake dives etc) all the way. You deserve an Oscar for the BEST acting team!
Divya

Din really make a diff who won.. France or italy, whtevaa..
I only hoped Cristiano Ronaldo would’ve worked his magic n done somethin extraordinary n atleast reched the finals. And all this junk ’bout his leavin ManU is depressin me even more. U english r unnecessarily makin a big deal ’bout Rooney gettin a red card. It happens all the time. It’s all part of the game. anyway.. hope to see Ronnie work his magic in the EPL atleast!!…
Divya

wht thaa hell.. Am frm India.. not Canada..
http://India Divya

Fernando … u’r dream came true.. and mine too.. Now my country(India)dinn even qualify for the WC so i cheer for Portugal. It was really sad to see Portugal out in the semis, even after am excellent defence. The goal by Zidane was only a penalty goal!! Portugal juss dinn get enough opportunity this time. but am sure, they’ll come out stronger nxt time. And till thn Cristiano’ll be a more mature player n mark my words… he’s the nxt big thing.. the nxt world champion!.. way to go Ronaldo… way to go Portugal.
rahela

Italy desrved to be there on winning position.
ciccio

god rewards the people who diserved it .italiani campioni
ciccio

azzurri campioni
ciccio

i am happy italian yes yes and yes
greg

Italians , I love you guys, but must you always be crooked in everything? I guess you will always be crooked champions, PM is a crook, Juventus(of GIGI BUFFON fame) are crooks, you gave us the mafiosi and now you have the world cup!Something tells me you paid off the refs or the penalty kickers:), Trezuguet plays in Italy and so does Buffon, no wonder he was diving in the opposite direction like he was evading missiles. Am I the only one that smells a rat??Any way you won it fair and square, in the abscence of instant replay to see what was said in the huddles before the penalties. You and FIFA are a match made in heaven. There were so many inconsistencies in this world cup, everybody knows FIFA is corrupt with all the weird ranking formulas and all the crazy refereeing.
It’s so fitting that you won this worldcup . It’s a true reflection of FIFA and what the worldcup has become in 2006.
My only regret is that Maradonna wasnt invited to hand you the trophy. What an almost perfect story book ending!
Liaquat Ali

I am glad that Italy won the greatest FiFa world cup, I will be very happy if the Italian Government accept all Afghan Refugees in this happiest occasion, and grant the refugees a permanent residence of Italy, as there is a huge bloodshed in Afghanistan and there is no way for them left to go back to Afghanistan.
Thanks
with regards
Ai Lin

Greg, AGREE with you. Materazzi and Grosso used crooked means to win the world cup – diving and psychological provocation. Sorry, Italy, you don’t deserve to win and you are not a true champion. Unlike Italy, Brazil is a true champion because Brazil plays FAIR.