The current estimate reflects bullion prices rather than the trophy’s true worth as a sporting artefact. The report puts the gold content at about ₹2.4 crore during the 2022 tournament, meaning its melt value has risen substantially in less than four years.
Designed by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga for the 1974 World Cup, the trophy stands 36.5 centimetres tall and weighs 6.175 kilograms. Around 4.93 kilograms is understood to be pure gold because the trophy is made from 18-carat metal.
That composition sets it apart from many major sporting prizes, which are primarily silver.
The report estimates the 69-kilogram Borg-Warner Trophy from the Indianapolis 500 at about ₹1.34 crore in silver melt value. The UEFA Champions League trophy is placed at roughly ₹14.6 lakh, while the NFL’s Vince Lombardi Trophy is estimated at around ₹6 lakh on the same basis.
Those comparisons underline the World Cup trophy’s unusual construction, but raw material prices tell only part of the story. Memorabilia specialists reportedly believe the original could command more than ₹165 crore if it were ever offered for sale. That remains a theoretical figure, given its history and status.
Messi and Argentina celebrated with the original trophy in Lusail after winning the 2022 final. However, retains the original in Zurich and brings it out for official ceremonies and the World Cup final. Winners reportedly receive a gold-plated bronze replica instead.
As the next World Cup final approaches, changes in gold prices will continue to alter the trophy’s notional value. Its real appeal, though, will remain tied to the names and generations it represents-not the metal alone.