World Cup: Which sports trophy reigns supreme?

By Staff Global News

Posted June 16, 2014 12:52 pm

Updated June 16, 2014 4:58 pm

1 min read

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Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas holds the FIFA World Cup tropfy after winning the 2010 World Cup football final by defeating The Netherlands during extra time at Soccer City stadium in Soweto, suburban Johannesburg on July 11, 2010. NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE - AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO (Photo credit should read JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images) — Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas holds the FIFA World Cup trophy after winning the 2010 Cup. Regional matches determine who will compete in the final group stages of the World Cup. A knockout round of 16 narrows the field to eight, four and then at last, two. JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images

In the pantheon of great sports trophies, the World Cup’s hardware faces some stiff competition when it comes to pure aesthetic appeal.

The grueling effort required to win soccer’s top prize is also rivaled by the demands made by trophies in other sports on the respective clubs competing for them.

The golden trophy that 32 countries are competing over in Brazil at the moment looks remarkably (OK, reasonably) like a shorter version of the Larry O’Brien trophy won Sunday by the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs finished off the Miami Heat to win the NBA championship after an 82-game regular season and four playoff rounds.

In pro hockey, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup this postseason but took a record 26 playoff games to do it (and 16 wins through four series).

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The timing of the Spurs’ win – occurring over the first weekend of the 2014 World Cup — got us thinking about the respective hardware pro and national clubs alike struggle so desperately to win.

Which trophy takes the cake for hardest to capture?