Prior to 1974, the Jules Rimet trophy was the prize awarded to the winners of the World Cup. Undoubtedly, it became soccer’s most valuable piece. In fact, in a very littleknown rule, the first team to win it three times would keep it permanently. Brazil did that after Mexico 1970 and that’s why we had a new trophy four years later in Germany. Peléand Uwe Seeler appeared with both trophies in the opening ceremony and that episode became one of the most memorable photographs ever.
In 1966, England would host their first World Cup. It was a long awaited event considering the UK promoted itself as the place where soccer was born. Nevertheless, the ‘inventors of the game’ had never won the title and the Jules Rimet trophy became sort of a national obsession.
On March 20, 1966, less than four months before the start of the tournament, the trophy was stolen during a stamps’ exhibition atWestminster Central Hall in London. There were always two guards checking the ‘jewel’, but, when the building was used for a religious service during that Sunday, no one was around and the thiefmade hismove. The World Cup trophy was stolen shocking an entire nation.
Pickles the dog helped to recover the World Cup trophy after it was stolen in 1966
As expected, Scotland Yard took the case and the search became a massive topic in worldwide news. Just imagine. There would be no trophy for the winner in the greatest sporting event in UK’s history. Queen Elizabeth II would have appeared empty-handed at Wembley Stadium during the final.
Then, in an incredible turn of events, a dog named Pickles found the trophy just a week later. On March 27, David Corbett was walking around Beulah Hill in London with his mascot when, suddenly, Pickles noticed something weird on a parcel near their house and decided to sniff it. Believe it or not, it was the Jules Rimet trophy wrapped in newspaper.Corbett recognized immediately the trophy when he saw the winners’ inscriptions engraved on it. He called the police and Pickles became a national hero.
Considering his achievement, the dogand the owner were seen almost as rockstars. Both appeared on TV shows and even in a movie. As a special distinction, David Corbett was invited to the dinner of celebration after England won the final against West Germany at Wembley. He also got an economic ransom.Edward Betchley was the name of the infamous thief who was convicted.
