Champions League Handball
The Champions League is the premier European club handball competition, organized by the EHF, the European Handball Federation, for over seventy years. In 2020, the EHF decided to redesign the trophy with the goal of making history in handball by awarding the same trophy to both men and women for the first time.
EHF, 2020 - act
About the trophy
Out of 27 agencies from 7 different countries, we were selected to develop this project. Avoiding preconceptions about masculinity or femininity in design, the decision was made to propose two trophies that didn't present any formal differences between them.
The idea of the GOAL as the main objective of the game and the SHIELD as a representation of the essence of team sports served as the starting point for the design of the new trophy. A net made from recycled aluminum, receiving the impact of the ball at high speed, forms a paraboloid that serves as a housing for the regulation-sized ball.
As expected, this trophy was designed and manufactured following eco-design and sustainability standards. The sculpture of the ball is made from the recycling of balls used during the competition since, being a tough sport, the balls become unusable after each match, generating a significant amount of waste that we felt was important to utilize.
The manufacturing process of this trophy was not easy, so we had to work closely with the manufacturer, experimenting with the material and form until we achieved the desired result. Aluminum casting with sand molds was chosen as the process that allowed us to achieve the complex shape of the trophy.
About the medals
In addition to the trophy, medals are also manufactured and awarded to the players of the top three teams (Gold, Silver, and Bronze). These medals are crafted using the same process as the trophy, utilizing aluminum casting, which allows for the European Handball Federation logo to be embossed.
On the back of the medals, laser engraving is carried out to personalize them with the tournament's name and date. Furthermore, the ribbons are also manufactured and customized, and the final assembly of the medals takes place.
