This children’s article, A Kid’s Guide to the History of the World Cup Trophy, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children practise reading and comprehension, learn useful vocabulary, and discover the fascinating story behind one of the most famous prizes in sport. Written by Mark Pulley, a teacher and writer who creates fun and informative news articles for English learners.
Main image attributed to Picryl
The first World Cup trophy
When the first FIFA World Cup took place in 1930, a special trophy was created for the winners. It was designed by French artist Abel Lafleur and showed Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory, holding a cup above her head.
The trophy was first called Victory, but in 1946 it was renamed the Jules Rimet Trophy. Jules Rimet was the president of FIFA for more than 30 years and helped turn the World Cup into the biggest football tournament on Earth.
Although the trophy was only about 35 centimetres tall, it quickly became one of the most famous prizes in sport.
Lost, found and lost again
The Jules Rimet Trophy had some incredible adventures. In 1966, just before the World Cup in England, it was stolen from an exhibition in London.
A week later, a black-and-white dog called Pickles found the missing trophy under a bush wrapped in newspaper while out for a walk with his owner. Pickles became an international hero and even appeared on television.
The story did not end there. In 1983, after Brazil had been allowed to keep the trophy forever, it was stolen again from the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation. This time, it was never recovered and is believed to have been melted down.
A brand new trophy
Brazil earned the right to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy by becoming the first country to win the World Cup three times. FIFA, therefore, needed a new trophy for future tournaments.
The new FIFA World Cup Trophy was introduced in 1974. It was designed by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga. The trophy shows two people lifting the Earth into the air, showing that football brings people together from all over the world.
Will anyone ever keep it forever?
The answer is no. FIFA changed the rules when the new trophy was introduced, so it will always belong to FIFA, no matter how many times a country wins the World Cup.
Brazil still has the most men’s World Cup victories with five titles, but even if another country wins five, six or even ten tournaments in the future, the famous trophy will always be returned after the celebrations.
That means fans around the world will get to see the same famous trophy lifted by future champions for many years to come.
Image attributed to Ank Kumar
Article vocabulary list
- Designed: Planned and created something.
- Tournament: A competition with many games or matches.
- President: The leader of an organisation.
- Exhibition: A public display where people can look at interesting objects.
- Replica: A copy made to look like the original.
- Sculptor: An artist who creates statues and sculptures.
- Champions: The winners of a competition.
- Celebrations: Happy events that happen after something special.
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. What was the first World Cup trophy originally called?
a) Champion’s Cup
b) Victory
c) Golden Trophy
Answer: b) Victory
2. Why was the trophy renamed the Jules Rimet Trophy?
a) Because Jules Rimet designed it
b) Because Jules Rimet helped develop the World Cup
c) Because he found the missing trophy
Answer: b) Because Jules Rimet helped develop the World Cup
3. Who found the stolen trophy in 1966?
a) A police officer
b) A football player
c) A dog called Pickles
Answer: c) A dog called Pickles
4. Why was a new World Cup trophy made?
a) The old one became too small
b) Brazil was allowed to keep the original trophy
c) FIFA wanted a silver trophy instead
Answer: b) Brazil was allowed to keep the original trophy
5. What does the modern FIFA World Cup Trophy show?
a) A football stadium
b) Two people lifting the Earth
c) A football on top of a castle
Answer: b) Two people lifting the Earth
Mark is a writer and EFL teacher from England with eight years’ experience. He’s passionate about travel, sport (especially football), animals, nature, and history, and enjoys helping children explore the world through language and learning.
