Thaindian News

Johannesburg, July 12 (DPA) An unidentified man ran onto the pitch towards the gold World Cup trophy shortly before the teams came out for the final between the Netherlands and Spain at Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium.
Coming from a corner of the grounds, the intruder made it to within a metre of the trophy, which was displayed on a pedestal, before he was intercepted by security guards and wrestled to the pitch.

He was then immediately led away through the passageway in which the teams were waiting.

Only World Cup winners, heads of state and Joseph Blatter, president of football’s world governing body FIFA, are allowed to touch the coveted object.

FIFA had kept the trophy at a secret location in a South African vault prior to the biggest game in the world of football.

The original trophy, which was in Brazil’s possession after they won it three times, was stolen in 1983 and has never been recovered.

The new FIFA World Cup trophy is 36.5 centimetres tall, made of solid 18-carat gold and weighs 6.175 kg.

Designed by Bertoni Milano, it depicts two human figures holding up the Earth. It is usually kept in a custom-made case by Louis Vuitton.

The trophy has “FIFA World Cup” embossed at its base. Its bottom side bears the engraved year and name of each FIFA World Cup winner since 1974.

According to FIFA regulations, the trophy cannot be won outright. Instead, the winners of the tournament receive a replica, which is gold-plated rather than solid gold.