The World Cup is one of the emblems of the soccer World Cup, so its theft was a shock to the entire sport.
He Soccer World Cup It is one of the most watched sporting events of all time, with figures such as MaradonaPelé, Zidane and Messi representing the values of the competition and the high performance the tournament presents. Within their traditions, you can see official songs, mascots and guest artists.
However, it is very difficult to think about the Cup of the world without, precisely, the cup. This was what happened in 1966when the World Cup in England was in danger of not having it for the start of the competition due to an incredible and unusual robbery that took place in front of everyone.
pele caresses world cup
What was the theft of the World Cup like?
The theft of the 1966 World Cup occurred on March 20when the Jules Rimet trophy, symbol of the world soccer championship, was stolen from an exhibition in London. The Cup was on display in the Westminster Central Hall as part of a philatelic event and attracted thousands of people. However, the security measures proved to be insufficient: although the trophy was in a glass display case and under guard, the thieves managed to bypass the surveillance system during a brief moment when the guard was absent. When the theft was discovered, the organizers panicked, as there were only four months left until the start of the World Cup in England.
The news spread quickly throughout England and the world, generating great concern in FIFA and the British authorities. The Jules Rimet Cup, created in 1930, was a trophy iconic and it was highly valued, both in terms of prestige and history, so the theft was considered an attack against football itself. Local authorities and Association English football They felt pressure from the international community, which demanded the prompt recovery of the trophy. The possibility of make a replica if they were unable to recover it, an option that was not preferred due to the symbolic value of the original trophy.
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@afa
To add to the tension, days after the robbery, a man named Edward Betchley He contacted the Football Association to demand a £15,000 ransom. Betchley claimed to be an intermediary and offered specific instructions for payment, assuring that the Cup would be returned once the money was in its hands. The police decided to follow this lead and agreed to organize a meeting, with the intention of catching him and recovering the trophy in the process. However, the meeting did not go as planned: Betchley was arrested, but denied knowing the whereabouts of the trophy and assured that he was nothing more than an intermediary.
The police investigation
Despite Betchley’s capture, the Jules Rimet Cup remained missing, and the case appeared to stall. However, fate took an unexpected turn when, six days after the robbery, a dog named Pickles He became the hero of the story. While walking with his owner, David Corbett, Pickles found a parcel wrapped in newspaper in a South London garden. Upon opening the package, Corbett discovered that contained the World Cup. The recovery of the trophy was celebrated with euphoria, and Pickles was hailed as a hero, winning awards and becoming a public figure in England.
The story of Pickles and the World Cup remains one of the most unique anecdotes in football history and an example of how luck can play as important a role as police investigation in certain cases.
Source: Ambito
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