Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has exposed the truth about the FIFA World Cup trophy. The Golden Glove winner busted the myth that the teams get to keep the trophy.
He said, “There is only one World Cup”. He went on to add that the trophy they take home is just a replica and “The actual trophy stays in Switzerland.”
The Argentine shot-stopper said during an interview with Goal.com, “The trophy that players celebrate with and kiss during it, it’s the actual one, made up of pure gold and is shiny. It’s only for the picture, and after that, the trophy goes back into its case”. This is rare information provided by the Argentinian, considering players don’t talk about such things openly in their interviews in modern-day soccer.
Emiliano Martinez had a stellar FIFA World Cup in 2022. The Argentina goalkeeper kept three clean sheets in his total of seven games in the tournament. Martinez went on to win the Golden Glove for his performance. His terrific saves in the final against France helped Argentina lift the trophy after a gap of 36 years.
The final for the FIFA World Cup 2022 was held at Lusail Stadium in the historic city of Qatar. Initially, Argentina led 2-0 with two early goals from Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. Messi scored again in the hundred-and-eighth minute. However, a late hattrick from Kylian Mbappe brought France back into the tie and the game went into extra time, where both teams failed to score. The extra-time was followed by a penalty shootout, which Argentina won 4-2.
At the club level, Martinez represents the Premier League club Aston Villa FC. So far, the 31-year-old has had one hundred and thirteen outings for the Birmingham-based club since the season of 2020–2021. The goalkeeper is also known for his antics on and off the field. His much-talked-about showcasing of Mbappe’s baby statue during Argentina’s post-World Cup celebration caught many eyes in the soccer world.
What is the World Cup replica trophy made of?
According to various sources, FIFA does not provide original trophies to the winners of the World Cup. The winning nation is provided with a replica trophy that is made of gold-plated bronze. It is made to look like a replica of the original World Cup trophy.
The height of the original FIFA World Cup trophy is said to be fourteen and a half inches. It is pronounced to be made up of eighteen-carat pure gold. There is a custom of the trophy having the winning team’s name on it. The World Cup momento also had the FIFA World Cup printed on it.