Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterFIFA have long trumpeted the World Cup trophy as being made of solid gold...but that claim has been cast into doubt.Professor Martyn Poliakoff of Nottingham University calculated back in 2010 that the trophy could not possibly be made of gold all the way through.It's more of an Easter egg, than a Yorkie essentially. You may like The World Cup trophy: Everything you need to know Who is Jules Rimet? Soccer Aid brings FIFA World Cup exclusive to London World Cup would be too heavy to lift if made of solid goldAs relayed by BBC Sport, Poliakoff said: "Gold is very heavy, it's one of the densest metals that there is."According to my calculations, if it was solid all the way through, it would have somewhere between 70 and 80kg of gold in it."That translates to 154lb or 11 stone, in old money - way too much to be lifted by a single person without tremendous difficulty.Poliakoff believes, quite intuitively, that the more likely situation is that when FIFA say 'solid gold', they mean that there is nothing but gold in the main body of the trophy - but not that it is 'solid' in the sense of being gold all the way through.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The professor believes that the globe at the top of the trophy, at the very least, is hollow.Otherwise, Poliakoff says, "I don't think that it would be light enough for people to wave above their heads, and also it would be a big waste of gold."The current World Cup trophy has been in use since 1974, when it replaced the old Jules Rimet trophy that England fans will recognise from that iconic photo of Bobby Moore at Wembley.World Cup winners do not actually take home the official trophy with them after lifting it immediately following the final, but are instead given a replica.Argentina will be hoping to earn themselves another copy this summer.Steven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
