Did Marc Cucurella really carry the World Cup trophy in a trash bag?

Spain were crowned world champions after a dramatic and hard-fought World Cup final against Argentina, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal to secure the nation’s second World Cup title.

But amid the celebrations, one unusual moment involving Spain defender Marc Cucurella has caught the attention of football fans online.

A video circulating on social media appears to show Cucurella leaving MetLife Stadium with what looks like a World Cup trophy tucked inside a transparent plastic bag. Wearing Spain’s red shirt, the blue shorts he wore during the final, slides, a headband and a backpack, Cucurella can be seen carrying the mysterious trophy as the Spanish players celebrated their historic triumph.

The bizarre sight quickly sparked a wave of reactions online, with fans joking about the idea of a World Cup winner carrying the most coveted trophy in football in what appeared to be a simple plastic bag.

However, there were other straightforward explanation to the incident. All members of the Spain squad were presented with miniature World Cup trophies to commemorate their victory, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino handing them out in the dressing room following the final. Some viewers also suggested that the trophy Cucurella was carrying could have been the LEGO FIFA World Cup Trophy.

The original FIFA World Cup Trophy, which has been awarded since 1974, is made of 18-carat gold and costs around $9,390 to produce and is now valued at approximately $110,000.

Despite popular belief, however, World Cup winners do not take the original trophy home permanently. Since 2006, victorious nations have received a gold-plated replica, which they can keep and display during celebrations and victory parades.

The original trophy remains in FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, and is only brought out on select occasions. A small number of people, including World Cup-winning players and heads of state, have the opportunity to hold it.