The Champions League trophy. Dreamt of by small children and grown-ups alike. Designed by the Swiss Jürg Stadelmann and handcrafted by the Bremen silverware manufacturer Koch und Bergfeld, lifting Ol' Big Ears is the crowning glory of every professional footballer's club career.
If FC Bayern win the final on Sunday, captain Manuel Neuer will be the first to lay hands on the 925 sterling silverware. Lifting the 73.5-centimetre tall trophy is a minor feat of strength in comparison: the cup weighs 7.5 kg - the Meisterschale 11 kg.
The trophy has already been taken back to Munich five times: in <a href="https://fcbayern.com/en/club/honours/champions-league/european-cup-winner-1974">1974</a>, <a href="https://fcbayern.com/en/club/honours/champions-league/european-cup-winner-1975">1975</a>, <a href="https://fcbayern.com/en/club/honours/champions-league/european-cup-winner-1976">1976</a>, <a href="https://fcbayern.com/en/club/honours/champions-league/champions-league-winner-2001">2001</a> and most recently in <a href="https://fcbayern.com/en/club/honours/champions-league/champions-league-winner-2013">2013</a>. Manuel Neuer, J<a href="jerome-boateng">érôme Boateng</a>, <a href="david-alaba">David Alaba</a>, <a href="javi-martinez">Javi Martínez</a> and <a href="thomas-mueller">Thomas Müller</a> were all part of the triumph at Wembley.
The Champions League trophy has existed in its present form since 1967. The first team to be presented with it were Glasgow Celtic, and FC Bayern are set on lifting it for the sixth time this Sunday. The names of all previous winners are only engraved on the current sixth version of the trophy, which has been in use since 2006.
Champions League trophy permanently owned by UEFA
Six versions? Until 2008 the trophy was a challenge cup. Any team who won the title three times in a row (like FC Bayern between 1974 and 1976) or a total of five times were allowed to keep it. That's why, in addition to FCB, Real Madrid, Ajax, AC Milan and last year's winners Liverpool also have an original cup in their trophy cabinet. This was changed in 2009. Since then, the original trophy, which is used for the award ceremony in the stadium, has remained permanently in UEFA's possession. The winners get to take home an exact replica.
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