Silvio Gazzaniga (; 23 January 1921 – 31 October 2016) was an Italian sculptor. While working for the Stabilimento Artistico Bertoni company, he created the FIFA World Cup Trophy. Biography Silvio Gazzaniga was born in Milan on 23 January 1921. He studied to become a sculptor in the art schools of the capital of Lombardy, Milan. During the avant-garde period of the 1940s, he attended the "Humanitarian School of Applied Art" and the "High School of Art" at the Sforzesco Castle, specialising as a goldsmith and jeweller. After the dramatic disruption of World War II, he started his career as a sculptor of medals, cups and decorations and at the end of 1953 began to collaborate with, Bertoni Milano (known today as GDE Bertoni), as artistic director and master sculptor. But 1970 was the year that changed his professional life and the profile of this private man. After Brazil won the Cup for the third time at the Mexico World Cup Final, FIFA rules dictated that Brazil would keep the Rimet Cup in perpetuity. FIFA, therefore, needed another trophy and out of the 53 designs submitted by artists from all over the world, Gazzaniga's was the winning design. The new cup represents the joy, exultation and greatness of the athlete at the moment of victory: two stylised figures that hold the world aloft. Gazzaniga achieved worldwide artistic fame and success with the creation of this trophy. Riding on the wave of this great international success, the artist continued to create other important football trophies, such as the UEFA Cup trophy (1972) and the UEFA Super Cup trophy (1973). He also produced the Baseball World Cup trophy (2001), Bobsleigh and Volleyball world cup trophies plus medals for important sporting events such as basketball, swimming, skiing and many others. The Presidency of the Council of Ministers, under the patronage of Giorgio Napolitano, President of the Italian Republic, decided to create a trophy to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. A trophy that would take its place next to the most important Italian trophies of 2011. Gazzaniga was asked to create this trophy and he enthusiastically rose to the challenge and submitted a design of the Cup to the Italian State. On 7 December 2003, the then Mayor of Milan, Gabriele Albertini, on behalf of Milan City Council, bestowed the highest possible honor upon Gazzaniga, the "Certificate of Merit of