After World Tour, World Cup Trophy Starts Journey Across Brazil

04/22/2014 - 09h09

The World Cup trophy returned to Rio de Janeiro yesterday (21).

The trophy left Rio almost nine months ago for a world tour, with the mission to promote the tournament.

Its exhibition starts today at Maracanã stadium, the one set to stage the final on Sunday, 13 July.

After that, it will travel to all Brazilian state capitals, until it finishes its tour in Itaquera, a district in the East Zone of Sao Paulo. That is where Itaquerão - Corinthians arena - is located and it is where the opening ceremony will be held.

According to Fifa, the trophy left Los Angeles (USA) to arrive in Rio yesterday, after a 267 day trip across 90 countries.

The tour spanned 150 thousand kilometres, three times the Earth's circumference. The itinerary started in Brazil in September 12, 2013.

To get up close the trophy, the fans need to purchase Coca-Cola products, the world tour sponsor. The items and the amount necessary to get a ticket are listed on the website www.cocacola.com.br/tourdataca.

The receipts must be exchanged for tickets afterwards. With the documents on hand, the fans need to book, through the website, the date and the time for the visit.

The tour organisers recommend the codes are registered at least seven days prior to the visit. Rescheduling is not allowed.

Apart from the trophy, the visitors will be granted access to an exhibition of the balls used in the competition since 1970. Interactive electronic games, toys and movies of the previous tournaments will also be presented.

In April 26, the trophy will visit Porto Alegre (RS) and from there, other Brazilian capitals.

HISTORY OF THE TROPHY TOUR

Before 1946, the award given at the greatest soccer world championship used to be called Victory. It was renamed Jules Rimet after the Fifa president and creator of the World Cup.

The Jules Rimet trophy was stolen in 1983 from the CBF headquarters, in Rio.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy was created right after the Jules Rimet was given to Brazil.

The trophy is 14.5 inches (36.5 cm) high, 13.61 pounds (5 kg) heavy, and made of 18-carat gold.

Unlike the Jules Rimet, the current trophy will ever be given in perpetuity again to a team. The winners will keep the trophy for four years only and afterwards it will be replaced for a Fifa replica.

Translated by JULIANA CALDERARI

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Franck Fife/AFP

Pele and former French international football player Christian Karembeu pose with the FIFA World Cup trophy during the Trophy Tour