More than a Badge: Celebrating 10 of the most unique logos in world football

Taking a breather from football updates, we explore the artistry and history behind some of the most amazing logos in the global game.

Football club crests are more than mere symbols. They are the identity of the club that represent its land and people. Be it the bright,colourful ones or the plain, simple ones, these artworks are an essence of pride for fans of all clubs. Every football club has a crest of its own. Based on the immense diversity of myth, tradition and culture from land to land, each of them tells a unique story. Here’s an attempt to present ten such coolest ones from around the world.

Bengaluru FC (India):

BFC’s crest is packed brilliantly showcasing historical significance. At the centre of attraction is a two-headed mythical bird known as ‘Gandaberunda’ (literally meaning ‘terrible’) which has been adopted from the coat of arms of the state of Karnataka. The bird, believed to have possessed immense magical powers, represents the pride and might of the people of Karnataka. In the backdrop is the Bangalore Palace, which the royal family of Wadiyar (Kingdom of Mysore) won back from British hands. It is illustrated in white to symbolize victory.

AS Roma (Italy):

One of the most vibrant logos in the world of football, AS Roma’s emblem, depicts the myth of the foundation history of Rome. Set in shades of Tyrian purple and gold, it showcases a she-wolf feeding two infant brothers, viz. Romulus and Remus. Legend has it that the twins were separated from their parents by Amilius, their uncle. Growing up, they took revenge on Amilius. When Romulus became the king, the city of Rome was named in his honour.

Asante Kotoko SC (Ghana):

Asante Kotoko Sporting Club is the most successful club of Ghana. The club’s crest, featuring a porcupine with raised quills, is taken from the Asante Kingdom that ruled the region previously. ‘Kum Apem A, Apem Beba’, the club motto translates to ‘Kill a thousand and a thousand more will come’ in the local dialect. The colours black, green and yellow honour the Ghanaian national flag.

Atletico Madrid (Spain):

One of the premier clubs in Spain’s top tier, Los Rojiblancos have remodelled the club’s crest from time to time. The emblem, showing a bear grazing on a strawberry tree, is an adaptation of the coat of arms of the city of Madrid prevalent since the 13th century. The seven stars bordering the upper left motif are used to represent the Ursa Major constellation which also depicts a bear.

Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao FC (China):

Most of the Chinese clubs sport design-heavy logos. Guangzhou Evergrande’s is no different. Nicknamed the ‘Southern China Tigers’, their club logo is very flashy to the eyes. The crest depicts a football in flames and the side view of a roaring tiger just above it. It shows the club’s desire to dominate football with extreme ferocity. The club motto inscribed at the very top reads, ‘Be The Best Forever’. The whole artwork has been nicely finished with red and yellow, the national colours.

Gandzasar Kapan (Armenia):

From the perspective of the environment, this logo would have looked an absolute gem, wouldn’t it? However, Gandzasar Kapan, an Armenian football club, has a bear standing atop a football in its logo, also grabbing a key in its jaws. Kapan is a town in Armenia and Gandzasar translates to ‘treasure mountain’ in Armenian.

Deportivo Colo-Colo (Chile):

Colo-Colo happens to be the most successful club in Chilean football and has never been relegated from the top tier in their 92-year history. The club crest features Colo-Colo, the chieftain of the indigenous Mapuche people of Chile, who led the Chileans in battles against the Spanish Empire. Popularly known as ‘the Eternal Champions’, the badge also represents the indigenous people of the nation as a whole.

Boca Juniors (Argentina):

This Argentinian club is one of the most popular clubs in South American football. Apart from the club's initials, the shield-shaped logo is filled with stars. In 1970, the club decided to represent every silverware won with a star inscribed on its logo. While the national honours are depicted with a star above the letters ‘CABJ’, the same is done for international championships at the bottom. Something unique!

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Minnesota United FC (United States of America): 

Minnesota United are one of the newest entrants to the MLS. The North Star is depicted on the upper left of the logo. The strip of blue in the background represents the Mississippi River while the grey shade symbolizes the region’s richness in iron ore. Loon, the state bird of Minnesota gives a cutting-edge look to the club crest.

AFC Ajax (Netherlands):

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AFC Ajax (or Ajax Amsterdam) is the most successful club in Dutch football history. Nicknamed ‘Sons of the Gods’, the club logo portrays Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero. The abstract artwork of the legend has been beautifully finished in eleven lines, which denotes the eleven players of the team. Red, black and white shades of the logo honour the flag of Amsterdam.