The Jules Rimet Trophy was the original prize for winning the World Cup. Originally called "Victory", but generally known simply as the World Cup or Coupe du Monde, it was officially renamed in 1946 to honour the FIFA President Jules Rimet who in 1929 passed a vote to initiate the competition. Designed by Abel Lafleur and made of solid gold on a blue base of lapis lazuli, it stood 35 centimetres (14 in) high and weighed 3.8 kilograms (8.4 lb).[1] It comprised an octagonal cup, supported by a winged figure representing Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. The Jules Rimet Trophy was taken to Uruguay for the first FIFA World Cup aboard the Conte Verde, which set sail from Villefranche-sur-Mer, just south of Nice, on 21 June 1930. This was the same ship that carried Jules Rimet and the footballers representing France, Romania and Belgium who were participating in the tournament that year. The first team to be awarded the trophy were Uruguay, the winners of the 1930 World Cup.

During World War II, the trophy was held by 1938 winners Italy. Ottorino Barassi, the Italian vice-president of FIFA and president of FIGC, secretly transported the trophy from a bank in Rome and hid it in a shoe-box under his bed to prevent the Nazis from taking it.[2]

On 20 March 1966, four months before the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England, the trophy was stolen during a public exhibition at Westminster Central Hall. The trophy was found just seven days later wrapped in newspaper at the bottom of a suburban garden hedge in Upper Norwood, South London, by a dog named Pickles.[3]

As a security measure, The Football Association secretly manufactured a replica of the trophy for use in the post-match celebrations. The replica was also used on subsequent occasions until 1970. The replica was sold at an auction in 1997 for £254,500, when it was purchased by FIFA. The high auction price, several times the reserve price of £20,000-£30,000, led to speculation that the auctioned trophy was not a replica, and was in fact genuine.[4] Subsequent to the auction, FIFA arranged for the replica to be displayed at the English National Football Museum in Preston.

The Brazilian team won the tournament for the third time in 1970, allowing them to keep the real trophy in perpetuity, as had been stipulated by Jules Rimet in 1930.[5] However, the cup was stolen again on 19 December 1983, when it was taken from a display at the Brazilian Football Confederation headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. The trophy was kept in a cabinet with a front of bullet-proof glass, but a rear made of wood was pried open with a crowbar.[6] The trophy was never recovered, which suggests it may have been melted down. Four men were eventually tried and convicted in absentia for the crime. The Confederation commissioned a replica of their own, made by Eastman Kodak, using 1.8 kg (3.97 lb) of gold. This replica was presented to the Brazilian president in 1984.[7]