The short answer
The European Championship trophy is named for Henri Delaunay, UEFA's first general secretary and an early advocate of a European national-team competition. Arthus-Bertrand made the original cup for the first tournament in 1960. UEFA commissioned a larger sterling-silver version from Asprey for EURO 2008 because the old cup was too small for the expanding event. The current cup is 60cm high and weighs about 8kg; UEFA keeps the original and the champion receives a full-size replica.
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Delaunay proposed the competition before UEFA existed
Henri Delaunay worked in French and international football and argued for a European national-team championship long before its first match. He became UEFA’s first general secretary in 1954 but died in 1955.
When the competition finally began as the European Nations’ Cup, UEFA named its prize for the official who had not lived to see the idea realised.
The first cup arrived in 1960
The French firm Arthus-Bertrand designed the original trophy for the inaugural finals. The Soviet Union became the first champion in Paris.
The object established the familiar tall, handled silver-cup form. Its name connected the new championship to institutional planning rather than one winning nation.
UEFA decided the original was too small
As the championship grew, UEFA concluded that the trophy no longer had sufficient physical presence. It commissioned a new version for EURO 2008 rather than abandoning the original design.
Asprey’s London silver workshop produced the replacement. It is 18cm taller and slightly lighter than its predecessor.
The current trophy weighs about eight kilograms
The sterling-silver cup stands 60cm high and weighs roughly 8kg. Former champions are engraved on the back below the competition name, Coupe Henri Delaunay.
Its scale places it near the Champions League trophy in weight while preserving a different national-team identity.
UEFA keeps the original
Current regulations state that the presentation cup remains UEFA property. The champion receives a full-size replica and medals, not permanent ownership of the original.
That custody model matches the Europa League trophy and protects continuity between tournament editions.
A rebuilt trophy can still be the same symbol
The 2008 cup is a second version, not an unrelated award. UEFA retained the name, basic form and winner lineage while altering scale and craftsmanship.
Trophy identity therefore rests on institutional continuity as much as metal. The same principle explains why the World Cup trophy required a new object only after its earlier prize was won outright.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Henri Delaunay?
He was UEFA's first general secretary and a long-time advocate for a European national-team championship.
When was the first trophy made?
French firm Arthus-Bertrand produced the original for the inaugural European Nations' Cup in 1960.
Why was the trophy replaced?
UEFA considered the original too small for the competition and commissioned a larger version for EURO 2008.
Who made the current cup?
Asprey's silver workshop in London produced the current sterling-silver trophy.
How large is it?
It is 60 centimetres tall and weighs approximately 8 kilograms.
Does the winning nation keep the original?
No. UEFA retains the original and awards the champion a full-size replica.