Let's be real: the FIFA World Cup trophy is a nightmare to draw. It’s basically two human figures holding up a globe, but it's all wrapped in this swirling, organic gold that makes it look more like a melted candle than a sports icon if you aren't careful. If you've ever tried to sketch it and ended up with something that looks like a weird, shiny gourd, you aren't alone. It happens.
The "how to draw the world cup" search usually leads to overly simplified tutorials that strip away the soul of the design. Silvio Gazzaniga, the Italian artist who designed it back in 1971, didn't just make a cup. He made a sculpture. It has tension. It has movement.
To get this right, you have to stop thinking about lines and start thinking about masses. It's about light and shadow. Gold isn't a color when you're drawing; it's a series of high-contrast reflections.
The Skeleton of the Silhouette
Before you even touch a gold pencil or a fine-liner, you need a gesture. Most people start with the circle at the top. Don't do that. It makes the whole thing feel disconnected.
Instead, draw a central axis. A straight line right down the middle. This keeps the trophy from leaning to one side like it’s had too many celebratory drinks after the final whistle. The World Cup stands exactly 36.5 centimeters tall. While you don't need a ruler to match that scale, you do need to respect the proportions. The base is about one-third of the total height.
Try drawing a very light hourglass shape over your center line. The bottom of the hourglass is your malachite base—those two green rings that ground the whole piece. The top half of the hourglass should flare out to hold the globe.
Think about the "V" shape. The two figures rising from the base form a dynamic V-shape that supports the world. If your V is too narrow, the trophy looks pinched. Too wide, and it looks like a bowl.
Capturing the Human Form in Gold
This is where things get tricky. The trophy features two stylized athletes. They aren't anatomically perfect humans because they are meant to represent the "dynamic tension" of the sport. Their arms reach upward, spiraling around the central axis.
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When you're figuring out how to draw the world cup's middle section, focus on the negative space. Look at the gaps between the arms. Those little pockets of "nothing" are what define the "something."
- Start with the "S" curves. The bodies of the figures aren't straight. They twist. Use a light pencil to trace the flow of energy from the base up to the globe.
- The heads are tiny. Seriously. Most beginners draw the heads too big, and suddenly the trophy looks like a cartoon character. Keep them small and integrated into the swirling gold.
- Don't draw individual fingers. The hands on the trophy are more like claws or cups that cradle the sphere.
Honestly, the hardest part is the texture. The surface of the 18-carat gold isn't smooth like a mirror; it’s hammered and textured. Use short, choppy strokes to indicate the muscle definition in the stylized figures.
That Iconic Globe
The globe at the top isn't a perfect circle. Well, it is a sphere, but because of the way the gold "waves" wrap around it, the visible part of the world feels nested.
Focus on the "continents." On the actual trophy, the map is slightly raised. You don't need to be a cartographer here. You just need to suggest the shapes of the landmasses. If you look at high-resolution photos from FIFA’s archives, you’ll notice that the Atlantic Ocean area is often the most prominent part facing the viewer when the trophy is held front-and-center.
The Base: More Than Just Green Circles
The base of the trophy is made of malachite. That's a green mineral with beautiful, dark banding.
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Most people just color it a solid green. That’s a mistake. To make it look authentic, you need to layer your greens. Use a deep forest green for the bands and a lighter, almost minty green for the highlights. The malachite sections are separated by gold bands that contain the engravings of the winning nations.
Speaking of engravings, don't try to write "Argentina 2022" or "France 1998" in perfect 2pt font. Just use little horizontal squiggles. It's an old artist trick called "indicative detail." Your brain will fill in the rest.
Lighting and "The Gold Effect"
How do you make paper look like 18-carat gold? Contrast.
If you're using colored pencils, you need more than just "yellow." You need burnt sienna, raw umber, a bright lemon yellow, and—most importantly—white. Gold has very deep shadows and very bright, sharp highlights.
- Shadows: Use a dark brown or even a touch of indigo in the deepest crevices where the figures' arms meet their bodies.
- Mid-tones: This is where your ocher and mustard yellows come in.
- Highlights: Leave the white of the paper bare or use a white gel pen. The highlights should be right next to the darkest shadows. This "pop" is what creates the metallic illusion.
Light usually hits the trophy from above. This means the top of the globe and the tops of the figures' shoulders will be the brightest. The underside of the globe, where it’s being held, will be quite dark.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
People often make the base too skinny. The real trophy has a sturdy, heavy feel. It weighs about 6.1 kilograms. If your drawing looks like it would tip over in a light breeze, widen the base.
Another big one? Making it too symmetrical. Even though it's a balanced sculpture, the two figures are slightly different. One reaches a bit higher, one twists a bit more. It’s an organic piece of art, not a machine-stamped part.
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Actionable Steps for Your Masterpiece
Start with a 4H pencil for your initial "ghost" lines. It’s light and easy to erase. Once you have that hourglass and the V-shape, move to a 2B to define the curves of the figures.
If you're working digitally, create a separate layer just for the "shine." Set it to "Overlay" or "Add" and use a soft airbrush to give the gold that glowing aura it seems to have under stadium lights.
For traditional artists, try using a grey paper instead of white. This allows you to use a white charcoal pencil for the highlights, which makes the trophy look three-dimensional instantly.
Final touch: Draw the reflection of the green malachite on the gold bands just above it. In real life, colors bleed into each other on reflective surfaces. This tiny detail—putting a hint of green in the gold—is the difference between a "drawing" and a "study."
Go grab a reference photo—specifically one from the 2022 final where the lighting was crisp—and look at the way the light hits the curve of the globe. That's your starting point. Don't rush the swirling lines. Let them flow.