Since 2010, the World Cup trophy has travelled in Louis Vuitton. The new trophy trunk from the Asnières atelier continues the tradition, for a trophy whose predecessor has been through a lot.
Before Sunday's World Cup final kicks off at MetLife Stadium, a trunk gets its big entrance: a Louis Vuitton ambassador and a FIFA legend will carry the trophy onto the pitch in its custom-made trophy trunk. The ritual dates back to 2010, with past honours going to Gisele Bündchen and Natalia Vodianova, among others.
It's the fifth trophy trunk Louis Vuitton has crafted for a World Cup since 2010, following South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Qatar. It was created at the atelier in Asnières-sur-Seine outside Paris, where the house has been building trunks since the 19th century: Monogram canvas in gold and brown, a hand-painted gold “V”, plus leather trim and brass fittings. Louis Vuitton sums up its partnership with FIFA in one line: “Victory travels in Louis Vuitton.”
Louis Vuitton trophy trunk: craftsmanship for a trophy with an eventful history
That football's most important trophy travels well protected is something it has historically earned. Its predecessor, the Jules Rimet Trophy of 1930, survived World War II in a shoebox under the bed of Italian football official Ottorino Barassi, who hid it there to keep it from the Nazis. In 1966, the trophy vanished from an exhibition in London, until a dog named Pickles sniffed it out a week later, wrapped in newspaper.
After Brazil's third title in 1970, the trophy went to Rio for good under the rules of the time, where it was stolen again from the Brazilian federation's headquarters in 1983 and never recovered. The cup travelling in the trunk on Sunday has therefore long been the second of its kind: designed by Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, in use since 1974 and at home at the FIFA Museum in Zurich between tournaments. Franz Beckenbauer and Diego Maradona have lifted it, most recently Lionel Messi in 2022.
Louis Vuitton and sport: a growing connection
The trophy trunk is part of an increasingly close relationship between Louis Vuitton and sport. The house also crafts trophy cases for Formula 1, the NBA, the America's Cup and the Australian Open, among others. In football, Louis Vuitton holds a partnership with Real Madrid, and Jude Bellingham is a brand ambassador.
For the World Cup, the house is also launching a limited collection of three trunks inspired by the trophy trunk, including watch cases for eight and 16 watches respectively. The most important trunk, though, remains one of a kind and will be presented to the world on Sunday.
