According to Simon Kuper, one of the writers for the book Soccernomics, the original base of the Jules Rimet trophy has been found in FIFA archives in Zurich, Switzerland. The original trophy has been missing for decades and is the subject of the “30 for 30” movie, “Mysteries of the Rimet Trophy.” The half-hour documentary talked about the saga of the original trophy, from being protected against Nazi’s to being stolen in England and being found by a dog to being stolen in Brazil, never to be found again.
Today results in another piece of the puzzle on the saga of the original trophy. The base was replaced in 1954 so the original base was not a part of the trophy that was stolen in 1983, but the original base was also believed to have been lost until today.
Kuper took to Twitter to break the news.
Breaking news: Original base of the disappeared Jules Rimet World Cup trophy just found in Fifa's archives in Zurich!
— Simon Kuper (@KuperSimon) January 13, 2015
The base of the trophy found was the one made by sculptor Abel Lafleur in 1930.Guy Oliver of nascent Fifa World Football Museum just told me
— Simon Kuper (@KuperSimon) January 13, 2015
The Jules Rimet trophy that was stolen in London in 1966 and then Rio 1983 may have been replicas – but certainly didn't have original base
— Simon Kuper (@KuperSimon) January 13, 2015
Here's a pic of the original base of the Jules Rimet World Cup, just found at FIFA pic.twitter.com/adBLsazbAp
— Simon Kuper (@KuperSimon) January 13, 2015
And here's another side of that same original Jules Rimet- with name of first ever winners Uruguay. Amazing find pic.twitter.com/PbRW4MwkpO
— Simon Kuper (@KuperSimon) January 13, 2015
While it is not the entire trophy, this is an incredible find and a priceless piece of soccer history. I wonder what else is in FIFA archives.
(FIFA)
