The 1966 World Cup - the other story.

June 5, 2006 4:02 PM

Pickles - The dog who won the World Cup. There were two amazing events that happened in London in 1966 that focused on the Jules Rimet Trophy (aka The World Cup): 1: England won; 2. the 15 inch, solid gold trophy tall was stolen, held to ransom, and then discovered in a bush by a dog called Pickles. The English FA had commisioned a base metal replica, which - after the Queen awarded the trophy to Bobby Moore - was substituted for the priceless trophy in the England dressing room, when a copper swapped it with legendary Manchester United & England fullback Nobby Stiles. That was the one which toured the country over the next few years - not the the real one. The replica was sold £254,000 by Sothebys in 1997... to FIFA, whereas the original was stolen again in Brazil, and has never been seen since. The replica is on long term loan to the National Football Museum in Preston, Lancashire - though they don't always tell you: it's a fake.
posted by dash_slot- (12 comments total)

Thanks for that. Fascinating stuff that I never knew the history. That is so convoluted, like a murder mystery.
posted by peacay at 4:25 PM on June 5, 2006

dear gawd, my fingers are tongue-tied...but you knew that, eh.
posted by peacay at 4:26 PM on June 5, 2006

Wow.

This, my friends, needs a movie.
posted by Freen at 4:34 PM on June 5, 2006

I love capers.
posted by bardic at 4:36 PM on June 5, 2006

Great post. I'd heard about Pickles and the trophy theft, but never knew much more than that.

I wonder why everyone assumes the thieves would have melted the trophy. They go through all the trouble of stealing one of the world's most recognizable and important prizes, only to turn it into...bars? The statuette itself was undoubtedly worth more than the gold it was made from.
posted by sellout at 4:39 PM on June 5, 2006

This, my friends, needs a movie.

TV movie of this was on telly over the weekend in the UK.
posted by fire&wings at 4:59 PM on June 5, 2006

Great story, thanks dash_slot-.
posted by tellurian at 6:07 PM on June 5, 2006

TV movie of this was on telly over the weekend in the UK.

Which channel? I'd love to see this.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:36 PM on June 5, 2006

sellout: The trophy may be worth more intact, but how do you sell it? It'd be like trying to fence the Mona Lisa, especially in Brazil.
posted by Grimgrin at 6:38 PM on June 5, 2006

I will steal it.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 11:55 PM on June 5, 2006

Which channel?

It was on ITV. May well be repeated on digital ITV2 or 3 at some point. It wasn't bad, actually - I quite enjoyed it.
posted by greycap at 12:15 AM on June 6, 2006

Although Harry Enfield as a badly-animated talking dog made we want to kick my TV in. Again.
posted by scaryduck at 3:35 AM on June 6, 2006