Club Logos: Some Curious Cases of Stolen Identity

Football club logos are more than just a design—they represent a club’s history, culture, and identity, forming a deep connection with fans. Over time, some iconic crests have transcended borders, serving as inspiration—or in some cases, direct templates—for unrelated teams around the world.

Interestingly, even some of the smaller Premier League clubs, not just the global powerhouses, have found their logos “borrowed” by teams from distant lands.

Manchester City and Santiago City FC

The reigning Premier League champions have issued a warning to Santiago City FC, a team from the fourth Chilean division, back in January 2022 due to copyright issues.

We’ll let you judge this one for yourself.

AFC Bournemouth and AFC Uttara

Bournemouth, while not considered one of the Premier League’s elite, have left their mark on the world of football design. Their crest has become the basis for Bangladesh’s AFC Uttara, whose logo bears a striking resemblance to that of the Cherries.

Although there are slight variations in color, the resemblance is undeniable, suggesting Bournemouth’s brand identity has made an unexpected global impact.

Crystal Palace and SpG Rasen/Antholz

Another Premier League club whose logo has been copied is Crystal Palace. Their modern badge, featuring the iconic eagle atop Selhurst Park’s gates, has a nearly identical twin in Germany.

Amateur side SpG Rasen/Antholz appears to have drawn heavy inspiration from Palace’s crest, demonstrating the global allure of Premier League branding.

Arsenal and Gunners Harare

As we all know, Arsenal are a renowned club with a massive global following, perhaps especially on the African continent. So it’s not a huge surprise that there is a Zimbabwean club that not only named itself by copying the Londoners’ nickname, but also made a smash-and-grab for their logo in 2005.

Everton and El Hilal Sports Club

Everton, right? You know, proud, old club, never relegated from the Prem? Logo looks something like this?

They seem to have some big admirers in Sudan, as their logo has been “adapted” by El Hilal Sports Club.

The design seems to have served them well enough, as they have played in continental competition as recently as 2020, which is much more than can be said for the Merseysiders.

Aston Villa and… Aston Villa

This one is probably even more obscure than the Bournemouth case. The logo of the Birmingham team is one or the most recognisable ones around, especially with their participation in the Champions League this season after over four decades.

And then there’s this team from Antigua and Barbuda who didn’t even bother changing the name to just a hint to their inspiration (like how Gunners Harare did), but really went all-in.

Their name is, naturally, Aston Villa and their logo looks like this:

Iconic Logos Across Europe: More Cases of “Logo Borrowing”

While Premier League clubs have seen their logos replicated, they aren’t alone. Across Europe, several other iconic crests have faced similar fates.

Real Madrid and Real Potosi

In Spain, Real Madrid’s iconic crown and sash logo, introduced in 1941, has inspired Bolivia’s Real Potosi. Founded in 1988, Potosi’s crest mirrors Los Blancos’ badge, confirming Madrid’s far-reaching influence on global football.

Barcelona’s Double Trouble

Barcelona’s crest is another favorite for imitation. Ecuador’s Barcelona SC, founded by a Spaniard from Barcelona, shares an almost identical badge with the Blaugrana, though the two clubs have no formal connection. A similar situation exists in Morocco, where third-division team Fath Riadi de Nador’s badge closely resembles that of the Catalan giants, albeit with minor modifications.

Bayer Leverkusen and Vihar Slavyanovo

In Germany, Bayer Leverkusen’s crest has left its mark on Bulgaria. Third-division club Vihar Slavyanovo showcases a logo that closely mimics Leverkusen’s, differing only in minor color details.

The Global Influence of Football Logos

From the Premier League to La Liga, Bundesliga, and Serie A, iconic football crests have inspired admiration and imitation worldwide. While these cases highlight the universal appeal of football’s visual identities, they also raise questions about intellectual property and originality.

For clubs like Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, having their logos copied by distant teams might be seen as a testament to their global reach, albeit in an unconventional way.

With the Premier League’s (and other top leagues’) ever-growing international audience, we might expect even more teams worldwide to borrow a piece of its unique branding in the future.