In line with the increased prestige of the competition, the new UEFA Super Cup trophy – which was lifted for the first time by Sevilla FC's Javi Navarro in August 2006 – is bigger and better than ever.
Tiny trophy
The old UEFA Super Cup, raised in celebration by footballing giants such as Alessandro Nesta, Fernando Hierro and Paolo Maldini, was the smallest and lightest of the European club trophies, weighing just 5kg and measuring a modest 42.5cm in height. With the UEFA Champions League silverware weighing in at 8kg and the UEFA Cup at 15kg, the UEFA Super Cup was never quite as super as it sounded.
Heavyweight prize
That has all changed now, and with the new model standing at 58cm, the UEFA Super Cup tips the scales at a strapping 12.2kg – a fair reflection of the importance of the match as the finale to the annual UEFA Club Football Awards. And even if the prize has put on weight, there will be no shortage of players eager to carry it off at the final whistle in Monaco.
Design continuity
The new trophy retains the basic design of its predecessor, which was designed and crafted at the Bertoni workshop in Milan. The classic bowl is held aloft on a base that is subtly twisted like a skein of wool while the two arms allow the winners enough room to take a firm grip as they do their lap of honour. The champions are entitled to have a replica made, provided this does not exceed four-fifths of the dimensions of the original – which means the victors can obtain a replica much bigger than those possessed by previous winners.
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The new-look UEFA Super Cup (©uefa.com)