LEGO World Cup Trophy build during Spain’s win

Of the four sets, the LEGO Editions Football was my favourite to construct. A football appears to be a relatively simple object, but recreating a fully rounded shape from predominantly angular LEGO elements presents an interesting engineering challenge. The 1,498-piece model is nearly the same size as a regulation size-five football, measuring about 22cm tall, and its internal LEGO Technic structure is what allows the exterior panels to form a convincing sphere.

The internal construction was the most intriguing part. Instead of stacking bricks upwards in the conventional way, I gradually assembled a framework designed to support the curved outer shell. Seeing how the different Technic elements connected and pulled the structure together was satisfying, especially because it was not immediately obvious how the collection of beams, pins and panels would eventually become a football.

There is also more inside than the completed exterior suggests. The ball opens to reveal a miniature stadium celebration, complete with players and screens (albeit in sticker form), a small trophy and a mechanism that makes the players celebrate while fireworks rise behind them. It gives the model an interesting “play” element after the main build is finished, although the Football is still better treated as a display piece than something anyone should attempt to kick around the room.

It is really rare to encounter a LEGO set that achieves such a convincing sphere, which is why this Football set stood out for me even among the larger character and trophy models from this LEGO Edition series.

The 958-piece Lionel Messi – Football Legend set was appropriately saved for Argentina’s final match. Unlike the smaller Mbappe set, this is a pretty substantial brick-built figure placed against a display featuring Messi’s name and number 10. LEGO also provides two possible configurations: his familiar celebration pose, pointing towards the sky, or a running pose showing him dribbling a football. That choice gives the model more flexibility than a completely fixed display set, although I naturally leaned towards his celebration pose. It is the version that I’m sure best communicates who the figure represents, even when viewed from across a room.

Building it while Argentina was playing one of its worst performances at this World Cup, and in the final no less, was…intense, to say the least. At that point, the set could have become a celebration of another World Cup victory or a reminder of Messi’s final defeat on football’s largest stage. Unfortunately for Argentina and Messi, it became the latter.

FIFA World Cup Official Trophy (#43020) – $259.90

The FIFA World Cup Official Trophy was comfortably the longest and most challenging project. It contains 2,842 pieces and stands more than 36cm tall, closely matching the scale of the actual trophy. Its size is not the only reason it takes time: much of the surface is constructed from small gold elements, which have to be placed carefully to reproduce the two figures, globe and uneven contours of the original design.

Like the Football set, parts of the trophy build became repetitive. The difference was that the trophy required more concentration, particularly as the form narrowed, curved and twisted towards the globe. Its mixture of gold shades also helps the finished model catch the light, preventing such a large mass of similarly coloured bricks from looking flat. A panel at the base provides a nice easter egg – a record of previous World Cup winners. The globe also opens to reveal a small 2026 scene with a minifigure and miniature trophy.

The timing of my final pieces could hardly have been more appropriate – or more painful. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute of extra time, and my heart sank as I put the finishing touches on the trophy. Spain were about to lift the real one while the LEGO version sat completed in front of me. It was not the ending I wanted, but it gave the build a match-night memory that would have been impossible to recreate later.

Overall, I’d say that all four sets have their appeal, but the Football and Official Trophy are the ones I would recommend first. Both are very impressive display pieces, while their hidden features and unusual construction methods will no doubt be conversation starters with guests.

Now, how should I build the Cristiano Ronaldo – Football Legend (#43016) and Vini Jr. – Football Highlights (#43027) sets?

The LEGO Editions FIFA World Cup Official Trophy, Kylian Mbappe – Football Highlights, Lionel Messi – Football Legend and Football are now available. Click here to buy.