World Cup Memories Take Center Stage At New York Exhibit

The Jules Rimet World Cup trophy. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Getty Images

The FIFA Museum is bringing a special exhibition on soccer history to New York’s Rockefeller Center during the World Cup.

The free exhibit – dubbed “Legacies of Champions” – will allow fans to go back in time and experience the tournament’s 96-year history. The free exhibit will be open throughout the tournament, including original artifacts, trophies and jerseys representing all 48 nations competing at this summer’s World Cup.

Featuring showcases from every World Cup since 1930, the exhibition, sponsored by Hyundai Motor Group, also has immersive experiences such as “The Final,” a video installation capturing the drama of soccer’s biggest game and “The Wall of Champions,” which honors every player to have ever won the trophy.

“This exhibition tells the history of the game, but it also reminds us of the emotions we experience throughout our lives,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said during Monday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I am sure this place will be filled with fans from all over the world from now until the end of the World Cup. They will come to immerse themselves in emotions, feelings, heartbeats, and ultimately in what we seek to achieve through the World Cup: Uniting the world.”

The exhibit, which runs from June 11 to July 19, also features the Jules Rimet trophy, the original prize awarded to World Cup champions from 1930 to 1970, won that year by Brazil.

In 1983, the trophy was stolen from the Brazilian Football Confederation’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. It was never recovered. It is widely believed that the trophy was melted down.

“If someone has the original trophy, please bring it over,” Infantino joked.

The launch event featured a panel discussion highlighted by the presence of former Italy stars Roberto Baggio, Christian Vieri and Marco Materazzi.

“The two World Cup I played in were the best moments of my life,” said Vieri, who played in the 1998 and 2002 tournaments. “It’s not just one moment. It’s just every day and seeing your dream come true.”

While Baggio and Vieri never won a World Cup, Materazzi won the title with Italy in 2006 after he was headbutted by Zinedine Zidane in the final.

Vieri recalled that as teenager he used to watch Baggio play at Fiorentina, then found himself “playing up front with him at the World Cup” in 1998.

“Dreams do come true,” he added. “A lot of people ask me, ‘Is it good to dream? Do dreams come true?’ Yes, dreams come true.”

Baggio, who famously missed a penalty kick in the 1994 World Cup final won by Brazil, offered up some advice to future World Cup stars.

“To young boys and girls, I would say, follow your dreams. Do what you truly love. Stay humble and keep your passion,” he said. “Talent is a gift, but dedication is a choice. Never give up, and make sure you enjoy the journey.”

The event also featured Youri Djorkaeff, a member of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup, and former Liberia international George Weah, one of Africa’s greatest players and one of the best to never have played at a World Cup.

Weah, however, expressed little remorse at never having played at the quadrennial tournament. Instead, he praised his son Tim Weah, a member of the U.S. squad competing at this summer’s World Cup.

“That’s why I worked so hard to raise my children,” he said, “so they could represent me.”

The exhibit is part of a larger effort by Hyundai during this World Cup. It also features Hyundai Motor’s global fan campaign, “Be There With Hyundai,” which celebrates the next generation of fans.

The campaign includes drawings done by children from around the world. During the tournament, 48 selected pieces will appear on official national team buses traveling across host cities and stadiums in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Hyundai, based in South Korea, has been a World Cup partner since 2002. The company said sponsoring the exhibit is a chance to honor the game’s past.

“The FIFA World Cup gives Hyundai Motor a truly unique global platform that extends far beyond sport. Football is the world’s most universal language, and our long-standing partnership with FIFA has allowed us to connect Hyundai Motor’s vision of innovation, mobility and progress with fans across cultures and generations,” said Sungwon Lee, Hyundai’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer.

He said the exhibit was “especially meaningful to support because it creates a more immersive experience for fans to engage with the past, present and future of the game. It is where our story becomes tangible. The World Cup gives us the global stage. The museum gives us the depth and experience to make it real.”

Clemente Lisi is the author of “The World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition.”