How much is the Fifa World Cup trophy worth and who was Jules Rimet?

The Fifa World Cup has a rich history that is as riveting as the many contests it has witnessed. Amid all the bravery, heartbreak and jubilation, the World Cup trophy itself has a fascinating story to tell.

The most iconic trophy in all sport that is instantly recognised all across the globe has lived a tumultuous existence. In fact, the trophy itself is not even 50 years old, even though the World Cup was first played in 1930.

To know more about the trophy, we need to go all the back to the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay.

The first football World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 and was made possible due to the efforts of Jules Rimet.

Rimet was the third president of Fifa and was instrumental in making the dream of a World Cup a reality. The trophy was created by French sculptor Abel Lafleur, 35cm in height and weighing 3.8kg. It was constructed with gold-plated sterling silver.

The trophy design featured a gold statuette of Nike - the Greek goddess of victory. Originally, the trophy was simply called 'Victory', and more popularly as the World Cup or Coupe du Monde.

In 1946, it was renamed the Jules Rimet Trophy in honour of the president. That the trophy survived was a miracle in itself. During World War II, the trophy was held by 1938 champions Italy. Italian vice-president of Fifa, Ottorino Barassi, took it upon himself to ensure the safety of the trophy, secretly removing it from the vault of a bank in Rome and hiding it in a shoebox under his bed during the entirety of the war.

A replica of the Jules Rimet trophy. Getty

Trophy stolen

Just four months before the 1966 World Cup in England, the trophy was stolen while on exhibition at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster. Law enforcement agencies, including