Everyone wants to win the World Cup, but what does the trophy actually symbolise? GOAL takes a deep dive into the meaning behind the grandest prize in football.The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup is on the horizon and, for the first time, 48 teams will compete for the iconic gold trophy that just eight different nations have so far lifted. It is viewed as the biggest prize a soccer player can win in their career, greater than the Champions League or any domestic title. Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest of all time, has claimed several times that he would like to retire as a World Cup winner.Lionel Messi, Ronaldo's long-time rival and one of the most decorated players in history, was overcome with emotion when he finally lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022.It is an achievement that so few have the privilege of claiming in their time on the pitch, but what does winning the World Cup actually symbolise? What is the story behind the current trophy, as well as the old Jules Rimet design lifted by the famous England team of 1966? Ahead of the upcoming tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, GOAL breaks down nearly 100 years of history.The World Cup trophy is one of the most recognisable and iconic awards in sport. The design itself features two people spiralling around the frame and holding up a globe, representing the success of the world's best footballers. FIFA claims that the trophy is moulded to capture the moment of victory, with players lifting the world above them in celebration, with the twisted nature representing the dynamic culture of football.At the top of the trophy, the globe symbolises the expansive competition of the World Cup, which brings together nations from every continent as teams battle for global recognition as well as the prize at the end of it all. Those who have won it have described the trophy as the ultimate symbol of success, and the fact that the emotions of past champions often spill over during the celebrations is validation for the claim that winning the World Cup is the pinnacle achievement in football.Lionel Messi described the feeling himself: "When I won the World Cup at the professional level, like I said, I'm not comparing, but all things considered, I had the same feeling as when my children were born. A feeling that, well, I was lucky enough to experience, you know what it means, and it's hard to explain what it feels like at that moment. It's so special and so immense that everything that follows falls short."The iconic accolade does not feature any flags or badges; there are no references to any individual country. The focus is on the shared aspirations of all those who compete in the World Cup, and that winning the tournament is a human achievement, rather than a national success.When the Jules Rimet trophy was replaced after the 1970 tournament, FIFA organised a design competition to create a new version for a new era. Fifty-three concepts were submitted by artists across seven countries, with Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga winning. His design was believed to capture the spirit of the competition, and Gazzaniga himself explained that he wanted the trophy to represent three things: joy, victory, and the universal passion and love for football.His work remains unchanged since the new trophy was first handed to West Germany in 1974, and it remains one of the longest-standing designs in modern sport.FIFA did not take any shortcuts when it came to sculpting the World Cup trophy. It is made of 18-karat gold, and stands at 36.8 centimetres tall, weighing around 6.1 kilograms. The base is formed of two layers of semi-precious green malachite, a visually pleasing contrast to the gold that runs above it.The interior of the trophy is hollowed out to prevent it from weighing too heavily for those who hold it, and the name of each winning nation is engraved on the base, with plenty of space still remaining to add future victors, including the 2026 winners.FIFA's stunning showpiece is valued at around $20million (£15m), due to the gold material used, as well as the rarity of the prize. That would work out at an incredible profit for the tournament organisers, with the trophy itself costing roughly between $50,000-$200,000 (£37k-£150k), depending on the market value of gold.However, the ultimate value of the World Cup is priceless, due to its one-of-a-kind rarity and importance to the football universe. Winning nations do not get to keep the original trophy, which is kept safe by FIFA. Instead, they are awarded a gold-plated replica.Before the introduction of the new World Cup design in 1974, the winners would receive the famous Jules Rimet trophy. The original prize was named after former FIFA president Jules Rimet, and was first handed out to Uruguay at the inaugural tournament in 1930.The design featured the winged Greek goddess of victory, Nike, holding a cup above her head in celebration. Brazil were given the honour of retaining the trophy permanently in 1970, after winning the World Cup for a third time. The Selecao need to win the tournament one more time to equal the number of new and old designs they have, with the South American side the most successful nation in history, with five World Cup titles.It was the perfect excuse for FIFA to freshen the award up and reassess the key values associated with the competition. The Jules Rimet trophy was represented through classic symbolism, while the new design highlights the global celebration of football.Brazil have won the World Cup five times, more than any other country. They first lifted the trophy in 1958, before successfully defending their title four years later. They then made it three in 1970, while also emerging victorious in 1994 and 2002 to show what they're made of.The most recent edition of the World Cup, which took place in Qatar in 2022, featured 32 teams. However, from the upcoming edition in 2026, as many as 48 teams will be contesting for the ultimate prize in international football. The number of teams that will be featuring has almost quadrupled since the inaugural edition in 1930, which hosted 13 teams.Lionel Messi holds the record of making the most appearances in World Cups, having represented Argentina 26 times across five editions.Germany's Miroslav Klose tops the all-time goalscoring charts in World Cups, having scored an incredible 16 goals in 24 games across four consecutive editions from 2002 to 2014.Egyptian legend Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to have ever featured in a World Cup game. The goalkeeper was 45 years and 161 days old when he participated in Egypt's 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia at the 2018 World Cup.Former Manchester United man Norman Whiteside is the youngest player ever to play a World Cup game. The midfielder was just 17 years and 41 days old when he featured for Northern Ireland in a game against Yugoslavia at the 1982 World Cup.Pele, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Gerd Muller, Roberto Baggio, Ronaldo, Romario, Eusebio, Johan Cruyff, David Villa, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo among others are some of the biggest legends in footballing history who have graced the pitch during World Cups.The likes of Didier Deschamps, Franz Beckenbauer, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Vicente del Bosque, Vittorio Pozzo, Louis van Gaal, Sven-Goran Eriksson, and Ivica Osim are some of the most accomplished individuals to have managed at the World Cup finals.