Soccer trophies make great additions to anyone’s trophy shelf. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles.
One of the most prestigious soccer trophies is the Ballon d’Or. This award is made from a combination of gold and rare stones.
Discover the top soccer trophies around the world, their history, and winners.
The FA Cup
The FA Cup is one of the oldest knockout competitions in English football and is known for its vast prize money. It is also a highly prestigious event that attracts millions yearly.
The tournament was first awarded in 1871 and is open to all clubs at the top 10 levels of the game. It begins in August with the Extra-Preliminary Round and ends in May with a final.
Wanderers FC was the first-ever winner of the competition, who defeated Royal Engineers 1-0 in 1872. The trophy has been redesigned once since it began, in 1911.
The Carling Cup
The Carling Cup is the oldest and most famous of all the English soccer trophies. It was first awarded in 1960, and teams from all over England have contested it.
It’s a competition that sees teams from the top of the Premier League going up against sides from the bottom. It’s an excellent chance for clubs to get some experience against teams they might not usually play.
Several organizations have sponsored the competition in the last few decades, including the Milk Cup, Littlewoods Challenge Cup, Rumbelows Cup, Coca-Cola Cup, Worthington Cup, and, most recently, Carabao. Manchester City has been the most dominant force in the competition since the turn of the millennium, winning it six times and becoming the only team to win it three consecutive times.
The Premier League
The Premier League is the highest level of football in England. It is also one of the most popular leagues in the world.
Each team plays a series of home and away matches during the season. A victory awards the team three points, while a draw earns them one point.
If a club wins all of its home and away games, it will win the title. However, if they only win a single match, then the trophy will be handed over at a neutral venue at the end of the season.
The competition has a history of big upsets in the final round, with teams out of the top four winning. Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United are the usual top 4. Still, this year there is a good chance for teams like Everton, Tottenham, Portsmouth, and Aston Villa to get into the Finals.
The European Championship
The European Championship is one of the world’s most coveted soccer trophies. It’s also the second most-watched international tournament after the FIFA World Cup.
It’s held every four years and consists of teams from Europe, although some non-European countries participate. The Euros are an excellent showcase for many of the top names in international football.
The original trophy was given to the competition by the French sports newspaper L’Equipe. The first team to win it in its current design was Celtic in 1967.
The Copa America
The Copa America is the premier men’s football tournament in CONMEBOL, the South American governing body. It is the oldest and longest-running international soccer competition and the world’s third most-watched championship.
The tournament’s first edition took place in 1916, with Uruguay winning. Since then, the event has been contested 47 times, featuring some of the world’s greatest football players.
The trophy is a 9 kg (20 lb) silver ornament with a 3-level wooden base. It includes engraved plaques with all the winners and each tournament edition.