There are many club and national football tournaments in the modern world. Although these differ in many aspects, one common factor in most competitions is the presentation of a trophy to the winning team. Usually, the trophy comes with a cash prize. Let’s explore which cup is the most expensive sports trophy today through the following article on bestsoccertips.com!
The Most Expensive Sports Cups in the World
10. Bundesliga Championship Trophy – $57,102
- Tournament: Bundesliga Football.
- Material: 71.98-carat tourmaline, silver, and gold.
- Weight: 11 kg.
- Current Champion: Bayern Munich.
The Bundesliga Meisterschale is the trophy awarded to the champion team of the top football league in Germany. The trophy was first awarded to FC Köln in 1964 when the inaugural season of the first division concluded. The trophy replaced the Viktoria statue which was lost during the chaotic period of World War II.
The Bundesliga shield was designed and created at Kölner Werkschulen by the renowned art professor Elisabeth Treskow. The cup resembles a shield with the names of all German league champions since 1903 engraved on it. In 1981, a silver ring was added to the cup to engrave the names of the teams. Currently, the Meisterschale has space for owner names until 2027. The cup is insured for 50,000 euros (approximately $57,102 USD) and is considered the most valuable cup in the world.
9. Serie A Trophy – $66,000
- Tournament: Serie A TIM Football.
- Material: Sodalite and gold.
- Height: 58 cm
- Weight: 8 kg.
- Current Champion: AC Milan.
The Serie A Trophy is awarded to the champion team of Italy’s top football league. The cup is a tall funnel-shaped cup often mistakenly called the ‘Scudetto’. This term means ‘small shield’ and was originally awarded to players in championship-winning clubs who wore a badge from the 1920s.
The Serie A Trophy was initially called the Italian Championship Cup and was designed by the famous sculptor Ettore Calvelli in 1960. The cup has a base made of blue sodalite and a gold ring in the middle depicting athletes. The current cup lists all teams that have won the league title since the 1960-1961 season. It weighs 8 kg and has recently been upgraded to a height of 58 cm.
8. Africa Cup of Nations Trophy – $150,000
- Tournament: Africa Cup of Nations Football.
- Material: Gold-plated.
- Height: 60 cm.
- Weight: 8 kg.
- Current Champion: Senegal.
The original trophy was the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Trophy, named after the first president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In 1978, Egypt was given permanent possession of that original version. The second version of the cup was called the African Unity Cup and was awarded from 1980 to 2000. The cup is a cylindrical unit with a map of Africa and Olympic rings at the top.
The African Unity Cup was permanently awarded to Cameroon after their national team won the tournament three times. The third and current version of the trophy was designed in Italy and features gold plating. The Africa Cup of Nations Trophy was first awarded to the Cameroon national team in 2002.
7. UEFA Super Cup Trophy – $470,000
- Tournament: UEFA Super Cup.
- Material: Gold.
- Height: 58 cm.
- Weight: 12.2 kg.
- Current Champion: Real Madrid.
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual football match contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. The trophy is made of silver and has the UEFA logo in gold with the inscription “UEFA Super Cup” engraved on it.
The base of the trophy is made of marble. Each year, the name of the new winner is added to the trophy, while the names of all past winners are also engraved on it. The trophy is presented to the winning team in a ceremony after the match.
6. La Liga Trophy – $600,000
- Tournament: La Liga Football.
- Material: Sterling Silver.
- Height: 60 cm.
- Weight: 15 kg.
- Current Champion: Real Madrid.
The La Liga Trophy is one of the most expensive trophies awarded to the champion team of the Spanish football league of the same name. It was designed and crafted by Spanish artist Manuel Ramos in 1928. The trophy features three figures holding a globe, with a crown and the flag of Spain on top. It is also engraved with the phrases “La Liga” and “Real Federación Española de Fútbol”. It is a symbol of excellence and is highly coveted by teams competing in the league.
5. Ballon d’Or – $805,439
- Competition: Best Football Player Award.
- Material: Bronze and Gold.
- Height: 28 cm.
- Weight: 12 kg.
- Current Holder: Karim Benzema.
Ballon d’Or in French means “Golden Ball”. It can be said to be one of the most expensive trophies in the world. This trophy was first awarded by the magazine France Football in 1956. The Ballon d’Or trophy is crafted by the famous French jewelry company Mellerio dits Meller. Its creativity involves engraving, polishing, writing, and jewelry work. To begin with, two bronze hemispheres are combined by welding.
The resulting ball is then given to a sculptor to fill it with resin inside. He then uses a hammer and chisel to create seams resembling those of a football. The resin is removed, and the ‘ball’ is taken to a goldsmith to be polished and engraved. At this point, the trophy is engraved with the FIFA Ballon d’Or logo and then gold-plated.
Finally, it is polished into a beautiful award for the top football players. Although the true value of the Ballon d’Or is not precisely known, it has been valued at £600,000 (approximately $805,439 USD) since Cristiano Ronaldo sold it for that amount at a charity auction.
4. FA Cup – $1.18 million
- Competition: Football Association Challenge Cup.
- Material: Sterling Silver.
- Height: 61.5 cm.
- Weight: 6.3 kg.
- Current Holder: Liverpool.
The FA Cup is one of the premier tournaments in English football. The current FA Cup is provided by a company called Thomas Lyte. There have been two other versions of the cup, with the first version being produced in 1911.
The current cup is a prominent replica of the original 1911 cup. In its development process, the cup underwent a complex process including polishing, hand engraving, hand chasing, and casting.
The current FA Cup was put into operation in 2013 after about 250 hours of development. It was first awarded to Arsenal FC after their victory over Hull City. The Football Association has since documented the excellent process used to create the FA Cup.
Before the 1911 design, the FA Cup was much smaller and was dubbed the “Little Tin Idol”. It had to be remade twice after the original was stolen from a shop in Birmingham. At that time, the owner was Aston Villa FC, who were then fined $25 to make a replica.
3. UEFA Europa League Trophy – $4.5 million
- Tournament: UEFA Europa League.
- Material: Silver and Marble.
- Height: 65 cm.
- Weight: 15 kg.
- Current Champion: Eintracht Frankfurt.
The UEFA Europa League Trophy is the most valuable international cup in Europe. With a weight of 15 kg, it is also the heaviest. Unlike most trophies awarded in European competitions, the Europa League cup does not have handles. It was designed and crafted in 1972 by an individual named Bertoni. Since then, this trophy has been awarded annually to the champion team of the second-tier European club competition. The cup is primarily silver, set on a base of golden marble.
2. Copa Libertadores Trophy – $8.5 million
- Tournament: Copa Libertadores de América.
- Material: Silver, Bronze, and Plywood.
- Height: 60 cm.
- Weight: 2.7 kg.
- Current Champion: Flamengo.
The trophy is awarded to the winner of the Copa Libertadores de América tournament annually. The original version only had space for 18 winners’ emblems, but it was later redesigned to accommodate more emblems. The upper part of the cup is mainly made of sterling silver. Only a small figure on top is made of silver-plated bronze.
The base is made of plywood sourced from hardwood. The champion of the Copa Libertadores de América keeps the actual cup until the draw for the next season’s tournament takes place, at which point the team receives a replica and returns the original. The club winning the Copa Libertadores de América for three consecutive seasons will keep the cup permanently.
1. FIFA World Cup Trophy – $20 million
- Tournament: FIFA World Cup.
- Material: 2 layers of Malachite and 18-carat Gold.
- Height: 36.5 cm.
- Weight: 6.175 kg.
- Current Champion: Argentina.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is the most expensive trophy in football. The trophy was created in 1974 by the renowned Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga and is awarded to the winning team at the World Cup held every four years. The trophy made of gold and malachite now has a staggering value of $20 million, a figure far surpassing any other trophy in the world of sports.
The winning country’s name will then be engraved on the base of the cup along with the names of previous winning countries. The trophy depicts two victorious athletes raising it while holding it. It is made of precious malachite and 18-carat gold.
Before the 1974 version was made, the FIFA World Cup governing body previously awarded another trophy called the Jules Rimet Cup. The cup was a subject of significant controversy; it was stolen in Brazil, stolen in England, hidden during World War II, and then permanently awarded to Brazil. The winning teams usually received a gold-plated replica of the original cup.
Conclude
In summary, the world of football is adorned with trophies of extraordinary value and prestige. From the UEFA Europa League to the Copa Libertadores and the FIFA World Cup, each trophy embodies the culmination of talent, determination, and teamwork required to achieve victory on the global stage. These symbols of excellence not only honor the triumphs of winning teams but also inspire millions of fans and aspiring players worldwide. As they are lifted in celebration, these trophies stand as timeless symbols of the beautiful game’s enduring legacy and the pursuit of greatness in football.
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