There are plenty of coveted sports trophies in the world, but only a handful of them fit the definition of iconic.
For many professional athletes, winning trophies is the ultimate goal in life. After all, doing so confirms that you’re on top of your game. That said, a trophy needs to be quite special to warrant this kind of respect and commitment.
Want to know which sports trophies fit that bill? This list will provide answers!
1. Vince Lombardi Trophy
Given the Super Bowl winner, this trophy was first introduced in 1967. It’s named after the legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi, who led the Green Bay Packers to five NFL titles in seven years.
Unlike most other trophies on this list, the Lombardi trophy gets made every year. It takes four months and costs $50,000 to complete, and the winners get to keep it in their possession. It depicts a football in a kicking position.
2. Wimbledon
Out of the four Grand Slam trophies in tennis, the Wimbledon carries the most prestige. It may not be the oldest trophy in sports, but it comes pretty close. The All England Club introduced this silver-gilt trophy way back in 1887.
Originally, winning the championship three times in a row meant keeping the trophy. The rules changed after William Renshaw managed to do so on two occasions (1877-83 and 1884-86).
3. FIFA World Cup
Given the popularity of soccer in the world, this may be the most recognizable trophy out there. It’s made of 18-carat gold, weighs 6.1 kilograms, and it’s worth a staggering $20 million.
Contrary to popular opinion, this is the second trophy in World Cup history. In 1970, Brazil won the tournament for the third time and got to keep the previous trophy in perpetuity. As a result, FIFA replaced it with this upgraded version.
4. Stanley Cup
This trophy got its name after Lord Stanley of Preston, a former governor of Canada. He donated it as an award to Canada’s top amateur ice hockey club. These days, the Cup gets awarded to the NFL winner on an annual basis.
The current trophy contains five bands, each of which contains 13 winning teams. Once the bottom band is full, the oldest band gets removed and placed in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
5. Olympic Gold Medal
Sure, these medals resemble something you can get at the Trophies Plus Medals website. They’re mostly composed of silver and plated with 6 grams of gold. The design changes with every Olympics and there are few common elements left.
As far as prestige goes, though, Olympic Gold has no equal. In many ways, standing at the victory podium is a life-altering experience. This was true back at the first Olympic Games in 1896, and it’s still true today.
More on Sport Trophies
Of course, there are other famous trophies that should make this list. The Ashes, the Heavyweight belt, and the Claret Jug are all up there in importance as well. Unfortunately, a top 5 list can only contain five worthy candidates.
Interested in learning more about famous sports trophies around the world? Want to make sure your next award ceremony goes well? Keep browsing our blog!
