In the world of football, trophies symbolize the ultimate achievement for clubs and national teams. While the intrinsic value of these trophies is immeasurable to fans and players, there are significant financial values associated with them. In this article, we will explore the top 10 most expensive football trophies and their worth, reflecting the prestige and history behind each one.
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Without further hesitation, here are ten of the most valuable football trophies in the world.
Most Valuable & Expensive Football Trophies
1. FIFA World Cup trophy – $20,000,000: It’s only natural that the most valuable trophy in football is also the most expensive. The FIFA International Cup is the most costly trophy in world football, despite the fact that it isn’t really a tournament. It is worth an astonishing $20 million in actual terms.
It is constructed of 18 carat gold and features two Malachite rings at the base. It is 6.1 kilos in weight. The award is magnificent, with two human figures holding a globe in their hands (the Earth).
It is football’s most iconic trophy, and it will change hands again in Qatar in 2022.
2. Copa Libertadores trophy – $8.5 million: The Copa Libertadores trophy is awarded to the champion of the Copa Libertadores de América competition each year. The Copa Libertadores is the top level of club football tournament in South America. The trophy’s original design only allowed for 18 winners’ badges, but it was subsequently altered to accommodate more.
The top of the trophy is mostly made of sterling silver. Silver-coated bronze is used just for a little figure on the crest. Independente are the most successful club in the event, which began in 1960. The trophy was won by Palmeiras in 2021.
3. UEFA Europa League trophy – $4.5 million: Bertoni, a guy from Italy, was the first to design and manufacture the UEFA Europa League trophy in 1972. The Europa League trophy is given to the champion of Europe’s second-tier club competition every year. The cup is mostly constructed of silver and rests on a base of yellow marble.
The Europa League is a lower-tier competition that features clubs that qualified from fourth place or failed to advance from the Champions League. The group stage has 32 teams, with the clubs who finish third in the Champions League group stage joining them in the round of 32. This brings the total number of clubs participating to 58.
4. The FA Cup trophy – $1,180,000: The FA Cup which is England’s most prestigious knockout tournament, has the world’s second most valuable trophy. The trophy has gotten over two different designs as well as five different cups.
The current version is a duplicate of the 2014 design, which weighs 6.3 kilograms of sterling silver. This magnificent piece of silverware took English luxury firm Thomas Lyte 250 hours to create.
Arsenal is the most successful FA Cup team in the competition’s history. They have won the championship 14 times. Manchester United is in second place, with 12 FA Cups under their belt.
5. Ballon d’Or trophy: Lionel Messi has more than €3.5 million in Ballon d’Or trophies in his cabinet, on top of all the money he gets in earnings and endorsement deals. That’s correct, the most coveted individual accolade in football is worth a little over half a million Euros.
The Ballon d’Or is a prize given by the French weekly magazine France Football to the best performing player in the globe of football over the course of a calendar year. This year, Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time, putting him one step closer to solidifying his place as the greatest player of all time.
The Ballon d’Or trophy is massive, weighing in at roughly 12 kg. It contains two brass plates that are engraved to give it the appearance of a ball. It is said to have been carved to give it a spherical form before being bathed in exquisite gold to give it the royal appearance it has.
6. Africa Cup of Nations trophy – $150,000: Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, has previously been under fire for referring to the African Cup of Nations as a “small” competition. The German coach defended himself, claiming that his comment was misconstrued and that he did not mean to disparage the event.
While Klopp’s point may be valid, it’s hard to blame Africans for being offended by such a remark. Besides the Africa Cup of Nations is regarded as among the world’s most renowned continental football tournaments.
The true worth of the Africa Cup of Nations trophy reflects how significant a championship it is. The Africa Cup of Nations trophy is $150,00, more than twice as much as the Serie A trophy, which is just behind it in terms of price.
7. Serie A trophy – $66,000: The Serie A trophy, which is awarded to the Italian top flight’s victor at the end of each season, costs $66,000. The trophy, known as the “Coppa Campioni d’Italia,” has been in use since the 1960-61 season.
However, the trophy was never presented to the winning team in the stadium until 2004. It used to be sent to the winner club’s headquarters. The custom was amended in 2004, and since then, Serie A champions have been allowed to parade the trophy around the stadium. The Serie A trophy is the most costly league trophy in Europe, despite the Premier League being the richest league in the world. That should show you the level of importance Italians have for them.
8. Bundesliga Meisterschale – $57,102: The Bundesliga Meisterschale is awarded to the champion of the German Football League, often known as the Bundesliga. The prize, which was designed and established by famous art professor Elisabeth Treskow in Kölner Werkschulen, is now being competed by 18 teams.
The title is 11 kilos in weight and was manufactured in 1964. Tourmaline with a carat weight of 71.98, silver, and gold were utilized. Bayern Munich is the most successful team in the competition, having won the title for the first time in 1964. Bayern Munich won the 2021 edition, defeating Borrusia Dortmund’s bid.
9. UEFA Champions League – $15,000: The UEFA Champions League is worth $15,000 and is often regarded as the world’s second most prestigious football competition. Only European clubs are permitted to compete in the prestigious competition, which has a long history. With 13 championships in their cabinet, Real Madrid is presently the most successful team in the competition
Jürg Stadelmann created the UEFA Champions League cup near the then-UEFA offices in Berne. The competition’s organizers experimented with various trophy designs. Since the competition began, the present one is the fifth design. UEFA elected to maintain the original trophy during the 2008-2009 season, while the winners received a replica.
10. English Premier League trophy – $10,000: The English Premier Competition is the most popular football league in the world, with elite players seeking to establish a name for themselves on the international scene. With a grand prize of $10,000, the Premier League is the tenth most costly trophy in sports, despite its popularity.
It’s the most prestigious competition in England, and it’s constructed of silver, gilded silver, and malachite, a semi-precious gemstone discovered in Africa. The competition has twenty teams competing in home and away matches. Manchester United has won the Premier League on 20 occasions, making them the most successful side in the league. Manchester City FC won the 2021 edition.
Conclusion
In football, winning the trophy is always a great goal that each player strives for. It also signifies an individual’s or a team’s victory and pride, in addition to material well-being. These trophies attract a lot of attention, and every club and player that is eligible wants to win. The worth is measured not only in terms of money, but also in terms of the prestige that comes with raising each of them.
