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The Jules Rimet World Cup trophy. (Photo by Fox Photos\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
The FIFA Museum is bringing a special exhibition on soccer history to New York’s Rockefeller Center during the World Cup.<\/p>\n
The free exhibit \u2013 dubbed \u201cLegacies of Champions\u201d<\/a> \u2013 will allow fans to go back in time and experience the tournament\u2019s 96-year history. The free exhibit will be open throughout the tournament, including original artifacts, trophies and jerseys representing all 48 nations competing at this summer\u2019s World Cup. <\/p>\n Featuring showcases from every World Cup since 1930, the exhibition, sponsored by Hyundai Motor Group, also has immersive experiences such as \u201cThe Final,\u201d a video installation capturing the drama of soccer\u2019s biggest game and \u201cThe Wall of Champions,\u201d which honors every player to have ever won the trophy. <\/p>\n \u201cThis exhibition tells the history of the game, but it also reminds us of the emotions we experience throughout our lives,\u201d FIFA President Gianni Infantino said during Monday\u2019s ribbon-cutting ceremony. \u201cI am sure this place will be filled with fans from all over the world from now until the end of the World Cup. They will come to immerse themselves in emotions, feelings, heartbeats, and ultimately in what we seek to achieve through the World Cup: Uniting the world.\u201d <\/p>\n The exhibit, which runs from June 11 to July 19, also features the Jules Rimet trophy, the original prize awarded to World Cup champions from 1930 to 1970, won that year by Brazil. <\/p>\n In 1983, the trophy was stolen from the Brazilian Football Confederation\u2019s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. It was never recovered. It is widely believed that the trophy was melted down<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cIf someone has the original trophy, please bring it over,\u201d Infantino joked. <\/p>\n The launch event featured a panel discussion highlighted by the presence of former Italy stars Roberto Baggio, Christian Vieri and Marco Materazzi. <\/p>\n \u201cThe two World Cup I played in were the best moments of my life,\u201d said Vieri, who played in the 1998 and 2002 tournaments. \u201cIt\u2019s not just one moment. It\u2019s just every day and seeing your dream come true.\u201d <\/p>\n While Baggio and Vieri never won a World Cup, Materazzi won the title with Italy in 2006 after he was headbutted by Zinedine Zidane in the final. <\/p>\n Vieri recalled that as teenager he used to watch Baggio play at Fiorentina, then found himself “playing up front with him at the World Cup\u201d in 1998. <\/p>\n \u201cDreams do come true,\u201d he added. \u201cA lot of people ask me, \u2018Is it good to dream? Do dreams come true?\u2019 Yes, dreams come true.\u201d<\/p>\n Baggio, who famously missed a penalty kick in the 1994 World Cup final won by Brazil, offered up some advice to future World Cup stars. <\/p>\n \u201cTo young boys and girls, I would say, follow your dreams. Do what you truly love. Stay humble and keep your passion,\u201d he said. \u201cTalent is a gift, but dedication is a choice. Never give up, and make sure you enjoy the journey.\u201d <\/p>\n PASADENA, CA – JULY 17: Brazil goalkeeper Taffarel celebrates after Roberto Baggio of Italy had missed his penalty to decide the FIFA World Cup Final 1994 between Brazil and Italy at the Rose Bowl on July 17, 1994 in Pasadena, California, United States, Brazil beat Italy 3-2 in a penalty shootout to win the World Cup. Photo by Shaun Botterill\/Allsport\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n The event also featured Youri Djorkaeff, a member of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup, and former Liberia international George Weah, one of Africa\u2019s greatest players and one of the best to never have played at a World Cup. <\/p>\n Weah, however, expressed little remorse at never having played at the quadrennial tournament. Instead, he praised his son Tim Weah, a member of the U.S. squad competing at this summer\u2019s World Cup. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I worked so hard to raise my children,\u201d he said, \u201cso they could represent me.\u201d <\/p>\n