The Jules Rimet Trophy
The original trophy was called the Jules Rimet Trophy, named after the French FIFA president whose vision had created the tournament. Designed in the late 1920s, it depicted the Greek goddess Nike holding aloft an octagonal cup, all on a smaller base. It was the prize at every World Cup from 1930 through 1970. Uruguay lifted it first, in 1930; nine more captains, including Pelé, lifted it after them.
A Rule About Winning It Three Times
FIFA had built one striking rule into the tournament: the first country to win the World Cup three times would keep the Jules Rimet Trophy forever. For decades it sat unclaimed, with most champions winning only once. Then Brazil began stacking titles. Their wins in 1958 and 1962 took them to two. By the time the 1970 tournament arrived in Mexico, the world knew that a third Brazilian title would mean the trophy went home to Rio for good.
Brazil Wins It Permanently
That is exactly what happened. The 1970 Brazil team, captained by Carlos Alberto and starring Pelé, won every match they played and beat Italy 4–1 in the final. With that third title, the rule was triggered. The Jules Rimet Trophy was handed to Brazil to keep forever, and it went on display at the headquarters of the Brazilian football confederation in Rio de Janeiro. FIFA, now without a permanent prize, commissioned a brand-new trophy — the gold-and-malachite one used at the next tournament in 1974 and ever since.
The 1983 Theft
What happened next has never been forgotten in Brazil. In December 1983, the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen from its display case in Rio. The thieves broke in at night, prised open the wooden case, and took the trophy. A small criminal ring was later identified, and several people were convicted, but the trophy itself was never recovered. It is widely believed to have been melted down for its gold value, which would mean the original World Cup prize literally no longer exists in any recognisable form.
A Replacement, and a Mystery
FIFA replaced the missing trophy with a Brazilian-made replica, which the country still has. The story has all the elements of legend: a one-of-a-kind object, a country given the right to keep it forever, and then the loss of the very thing that was supposed to last. The current World Cup Trophy, introduced in 1974, was built around the experience — every winning team gets a replica, while the original stays with FIFA, so the second Jules Rimet story can never repeat.
Source
This article was written using information from Wikipedia.