Discover the details of the most coveted cup in national football, from its creation to its physical characteristics
The Brazilian Championship trophy is the ultimate symbol of supremacy in national football, an object of desire for clubs and fans across the country. Although the competition has a long history with different formats and names, the cup awarded to the champion is currently a unified and relatively recent project.
This article details the history of the Brasileirão trophy, explaining what it looks like, how much it weighs, what it is made of and other essential information to understand its meaning.
History and evolution of championship cups
The trajectory of Brazilian football trophies is marked by different models, reflecting changes in the organization of the competition itself. Before the current design, several others were raised by champions.
Brazil Cup and Roberto Gomes Pedrosa Tournament: Between the 1950s and 1970s, the winners of these tournaments, later unified as Brazilian titles, received specific trophies for each edition, without a continuous pattern;
Polka Dots Cup: Inspired by the Jules Rimet cup, it was created in 1975 by Caixa Econômica Federal and promised in definitive possession to the first club that won the championship three times in a row or five alternate times. The dispute over its definitive possession generated a famous controversy between Flamengo and São Paulo;
Unified Trophy (2014-present): To end the variety of designs and create a unique visual identity for the championship, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) commissioned a new trophy in 2014, which is the one still used today. Cruzeiro was the first club to build this new version;
Features of the current trophy: design and materials
The modern and imposing design of the Brazilian Championship trophy was designed by artist Holoassy Lins de Albuquerque. Its appearance seeks to represent the vibrancy and passion of football, with lines that symbolize the movement of fans in the stadiums. To understand what the Brasileirão trophy looks like, you need to know its technical specifications.
The cup is made of gold plated bronzewhich gives it a characteristic shine and considerable weight. The sturdy base serves as a support for the plaques where the names of the champions are engraved annually. Its main physical characteristics are:
Material principal: Gold-plated cast bronze;
Weight: Approximately 15 kilos;
Height: 60 centimeters;
Width: 45 centimeters;
Depth: 40 centimeters;
Curiosities and the award ritual
In addition to its history and physical characteristics, the Brasileirão trophy has particularities in its regulations and the way it is delivered to the champion club.
Transitional Trophy: Unlike the old Polka Dots Cup, the current trophy is not in the definitive possession of the winning club. The original cup remains with the CBF, and the champion receives the right to keep it in his gallery for a period before returning it. A smaller replica is given to the club for its permanent collection.
Recording of champions: Each year, a new metal plaque with the name of the champion club and the year of achievement is added to the base of the trophy, recording the history of the competition on the object itself;
Fan inspiration: According to its creator, the curves and undulations that form the body of the cup were inspired by the “fervency of the fans” and the movement of the flags in the stands, connecting the award directly to the popular passion for the sport;
The Brazilian Championship trophy is more than a prize; It is a historical record of the most important competition in the country. Its composition in gold-plated bronze and its weight of 15 kilos make it a physically imposing object, while its design symbolizes the passion of football. The current cup, used since 2014, unified the tournament’s visual identity and follows a transitional model, in which the original returns to the CBF each year, ensuring that the same symbol of glory is played for each new season.
