TORONTO - The FIFA World Cup Trophy made it to Canada on Wednesday for the first, or maybe second or maybe third time.
Organizers of the global trophy tour billed Wednesday's visit as the first ever. But like UFOs, more sightings were quickly reported.
Canadian soccer icon Bob Lenarduzzi, a former national team player and manager, said Wednesday he had a photo of himself with the trophy from a dinner in Vancouver in 1994 when the golden statuette made it to Canada in advance of the World Cup in the U.S.
Nick Dasovic, a former national team player and current Toronto FC assistant, recalls doing the same at a Toronto dinner prior to that '94 World Cup.
"Was it the real trophy? Who knows," said Dasovic, who nevertheless made sure he got a hand on the trophy and a photo -- a keepsake he has today.
And longtime national team manager Les Wilson recalled a World Cup trophy at a 1986 dinner in Toronto to honour the Canadian team that qualified for the World Cup that year.
A spokeswoman for Hill & Knowlton Canada, which handled publicity for the Canadian leg of the trophy, said FIFA confirmed that the trophy that touched down Wednesday was the real thing -- and that it had never made it to Canada before.
World Cup winners get a gold-plate replica of the trophy, the spokeswoman said. Perhaps one of those had made it to Canada in the past.
History aside, Canada got another brief taste of World Cup fever Wednesday as soccer's biggest prize dropped in for a visit.
In a scene more suited to the arrival of an Oscar winner, the FIFA World Cup Trophy arrived early at Pearson International Airport. It travelled there on a plane adorned with FIFA and World Cup logos, and was taxied directly to a red carpet.
There, handlers whisked the 13-pound golden trophy from its protective case to a makeshift stage. After being hidden beneath a black sheet, the statuette was unveiled -- prompting dozens of clicks and flashes from cellphones and television cameras.
Youth soccer players posed for pictures Wednesday, as did representatives from sponsor Coca-Cola.
The solid-gold statue is nearing the end of a whirlwind world tour that covers nine months, 86 countries and 139,000 kilometres.
The trophy will return to South Africa in time for the start of the 32-team tournament, which kicks off June 11. The final is July 11 at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.
Canadian rapper K'Naan, whose song "Wavin' Flag" has been adopted as the official anthem of the tour, has travelled around the globe with the trophy.
His one disappointment was the trophy didn't visit his native Somalia, widely considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
"It's bittersweet for me," he said. "I'm going around with the trophy to every part of the world, but can't go home.
"If I couldn't take it home, it's nice to take it to my other home."
The trophy stands around 36 centimetres high and is made of solid 18-karat gold. The base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite.
The current model isn't the original World Cup trophy. That statue, named after former FIFA president Jules Rimet, was awarded permanently to Brazil following its third World Cup championship in 1970. The current trophy, designed by Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga, was selected by FIFA out of 53 entries.
The bottom side of the trophy bears the name and year of each champion, and members of the winning team receive gold-plated replicas.
It's one of the most exclusive clubs in sport: only seven teams have ever won a World Cup title in the tournament's 80-year history (Uruguay, Italy, West Germany, Brazil, England, Argentina, France).
It might be a while before Canada gets to see the trophy again. Canada's only appearance in the World Cup came in 1986, and that team didn't even score a goal.
The arrival of the trophy coincided with the release of the latest FIFA world rankings, which have Canada 63rd.
Dominic Maestracci, president of the Canadian Soccer Association, said he hopes events like Wednesday's trophy showcase will help develop interest in the sport in Canada.
"What is important for Canadian people is to have a chance to see the trophy," said Maestracci. "I think Canada was fortunate to be selected by FIFA.
"I think it's a good thing for the development of our sport, sure."
