When Chelsea face Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, one familiar silhouette will take centre stage. The trophy, with its modest waist, wide hips and slender arms, has remained unchanged in proportion even as footballers' physiques have evolved. This iconic piece of silverware, steeped in over 150 years of hopes and drama, is more emotive than the Premier League or Champions League trophies.
The current FA Cup trophy is only its fifth incarnation. The original was stolen from a Birmingham shop window in 1895, and an identical copy replaced it the following year. However, the Football Association soon discovered they did not own the design, leading to a new-look trophy in 1909. That version lasted until the 1990s, when it was retired after Manchester United commissioned a replica.
The fourth FA Cup trophy had a troubled life: it was dropped from a Chelsea team bus and fell off a plinth in Portsmouth. Its brief existence reflected football's rapid growth, as the trophy went from being locked in a cabinet to touring almost constantly. The current version, created in 2014 by silversmiths Thomas Lyte, is made from thicker silver to withstand frequent handling and travel, weighing 6.3kg.
Superstitions surrounding trophies are common across sports. Many believe touching a major trophy before winning it brings bad luck. This applies to celebrities too: Rihanna faced criticism for lifting the FIFA World Cup in 2014, and Salt Bae in 2022. The Stanley Cup in ice hockey has a similar taboo, with some teams even avoiding lifting conference trophies en route to the final.
Not all trophies need a long history to gain aura. The Crowe-Thorpe trophy, contested in England's Test series against New Zealand starting in June, was unveiled during the 2024-25 tour. Carved from bat-willow used by Martin Crowe and Graham Thorpe, and created by Māori artist David Ngawati, it is treated as a taonga (treasure) with protocols including appointing guardians and speaking blessings over it.
The Ashes urn, by contrast, began as a cosmetics container before being presented to England captain Ivo Bligh. Its origins are a light-hearted joke between Bligh and his future wife. Yet despite its humble beginnings, it remains one of cricket's most revered prizes.
