April 23 – The Europa League returns this week with the first legs of both semi-final matches. But for a brief time last week, it appeared there might not be a cup to hand to the eventual winner.
The trophy, which is regularly taken on tour, was at a promotional event in the Mexican city of Leon when it was stolen from a vehicle only to be reclaimed shortly afterwards.
UEFA said in a statement that the “Europa League trophy was in Mexico for a partner event and got briefly stolen. It was quickly recovered and has suffered no damages.”
The state prosecutor’s office in Leon tweeted a picture of the trophy in a cloth-lined case to confirm that it had been recovered by police but did not immediately provide more details.
The incident drew parallels with the famous theft of the World Cup trophy in central London in March 1966. The Jules Rimet trophy was taken from a stamp exhibition in Westminster, and later found under a hedge in London by a dog named Pickles which became the stuff of legend.
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