Silvio Gazzaniga, the Italian sculptor who designed the World Cup trophy, has died at the age of 95. This was disclosed by Gazzaniga’s son, Giorgio, who said his father passed away in his sleep at home in Milan.
“He just didn’t wake up this morning. It was a peaceful death,” Giorgio Gazzaniga told The Associated Press on Monday, October 31. According to Giorgio, his father had been in the hospital recently for a series of minor ailments. Reacting to Gazzaniga’s death, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “The World Cup is a mythic object for the players and for all football lovers. “We will be eternally grateful. I express my condolences by joining the pain of the family.” FIFA’s website also quoted what Gazzaniga said after he designed the World Cup.
“The 18-carat solid gold trophy weighs approximately six kilograms (13 pounds). It depicts a moment of joy: two players celebrating with their arms outstretched and a globe resting on the backs of their shoulders. “The lines spring out from the base, rising in spirals, stretching out to receive the world.