Dhaka, Jun 11 (V7N) – A team overturning a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 is often celebrated as a remarkable comeback. But this story is not about a single match. It is about a championship race that lasted four decades and culminated in one of the most significant finals in football history.
The FIFA World Cup trophy used today was introduced in 1974. Before that, the tournament's ultimate prize was the famous Jules Rimet Trophy, named after Jules Rimet, the third president of FIFA. Rimet served from 1921 to 1954 and was the driving force behind the creation of the FIFA World Cup.
The Jules Rimet Trophy featured the image of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, crafted in gold-plated sterling silver and mounted on a base made of lapis lazuli.
Under FIFA regulations at the time, the first nation to win the World Cup three times would gain permanent ownership of the trophy. As the tournament developed, two countries emerged as the leading contenders for that honor: Italy and Uruguay.
Italy won the World Cups of 1934 and 1938, while Uruguay lifted the trophy in 1930 and 1950. Both nations entered the race with two titles and needed only one more triumph to permanently claim the Jules Rimet Trophy. Yet neither managed to secure a third crown in time.
Ironically, Jules Rimet himself never witnessed Brazil becoming world champions. He passed away in 1956, and Brazil captured its first World Cup title two years later in 1958. The Seleção successfully defended their crown in 1962, while England won the tournament in 1966.
As the 1970 World Cup approached, Brazil, Italy and Uruguay all possessed two World Cup titles each. The race to become the permanent owner of the Jules Rimet Trophy remained wide open.
The decisive moment arrived in the final of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Brazil faced Italy in a match that carried far greater significance than a normal World Cup final. The winner would not only become world champion but would also earn permanent ownership of the Jules Rimet Trophy.
Brazil rose to the occasion, defeating Italy 4-1 in one of the greatest performances in World Cup history. Led by the legendary Pelé, the Seleção claimed their third World Cup title and secured the right to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy forever.
For that reason, the 1970 World Cup final stands apart from every other World Cup final. It was not merely a match to determine a champion—it was the final that determined the permanent owner of football's most treasured prize.
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