Euro 2016 Approaches: The Henri Delaunay Trophy at 56 Years Old ⚽

UEFA Euro 2016 in France kicks off June 10. The Henri Delaunay Trophy — silver, two-handled, redesigned for 2008 — will be lifted in Paris on July 10. Worth understanding the redesign that nearly broke tradition.

A Bigger Trophy for Bigger Photos

The Delaunay was enlarged from 1.6kg to 8kg for 2008 — five times heavier, twice as tall. The reason: modern broadcast cameras shoot wider frames than 1960s newspaper cameras. The old trophy disappeared behind hoisting players. The redesign keeps the original silhouette but scales it so that 4K cameras 50 meters away still read the cup. For your perpetual trophies revisited every 20 years, broadcast considerations should drive size.

Engraved Champions List on the Base

The Delaunay base engraves every winning nation since 1960. The list becomes itself a photographable artifact at close range — pundits and players study it before the final. For your perpetual cup, including a visible past-winners list on the base turns the trophy into a living document. Reserve space for at least 40 future entries.