When a football club changes its badge, it’s never just a design project. It’s an identity crisis, a history lesson, a branding exercise, and – if handled badly – a PR disaster. As both a designer and a football fan, I find badge redesigns fascinating because they sit at the crossroads of heritage and modernity. A crest isn’t just a logo; it’s stitched into childhood shirts, painted on stadium walls, and wrapped up in a supporter’s sense of belonging. No wonder emotions run high when it changes.

In the last decade we’ve seen plenty of updates: Juventus ditching their ornate shield for a bold “J”, Manchester City returning to a roundel, Norwich redrawing their canary, Inter Milan tightening into a monogram. Some have been celebrated, others mocked, and a few even reversed. So why are clubs so eager to tinker with such sacred symbols?

Digital-first football

Many badges were drawn decades ago for programmes and kit embroidery, not smartphones and social media. Shrunk to the size of an app icon, intricate coats of arms collapse into unreadable shapes. Put them on LED boards or Twitter/X avatars and they blur into nothing.

That’s why we’re seeing so much simplification. Norwich City’s 2021 redesign is a good example. They didn’t lose the canary, castle or lion, but they redrew them with cleaner lines and better proportions. The result feels sharper on a phone screen and more consistent on merchandise, without alienating the fans who loved the old badge.

*Figure 1

From thread to lifestyle brand

A crest also must survive beyond pixels. It’s embossed on ticket stock, heat-pressed onto kits, cast into metal keyrings, and printed on posters. The more complicated it is, the harder it is to reproduce. Brentford’s 2016 redesign – bolder, simpler, easier to recognise – wasn’t just about aesthetics. It solved real manufacturing problems and gave the club a symbol that works as well on a scarf as it does on a stadium banner.

But there’s another layer too: branding.

Modern football clubs aren’t just teams; they’re global businesses with women’s sides, youth academies, esports arms and fashion collabs. Juventus understood that when they launched their stripped-back “J” in 2017. Fans hated it at first, but it’s since become a flexible emblem that works across everything from luxury retail to Instagram stories. As a fan I miss the old badge’s drama, but as a designer I can’t help but admire the clarity of the new one.

*Figure 2

The pull of heritage

History, of course, is where things get tricky. Supporters don’t see lines and colours—they see decades of tradition. Cut away too much and you’re cutting away memories.

Manchester City’s 2016 redesign shows how to get it right. After years with a corporate-looking shield and eagle, the club returned to a classic roundel. The ship, rivers and red rose came back, along with the founding year. Importantly, City consulted their supporters, which made the redesign feel like a homecoming rather than a corporate decision.

Contrast that with Everton in 2013. The club dropped the laurel wreaths and Latin motto, aiming for a slicker crest, but fans revolted. Petitions followed, the press piled on, and the club reverted after a single season. The lesson is obvious: heritage isn’t decoration, it’s the emotional core.

Backlash and reversals

Some redesigns never recover. Leeds United’s 2018 attempt is infamous: a stylised “Leeds salute” badge meant to celebrate the fans. Within hours it was ridiculed online, over 70,000 supporters signed a petition, and the design was binned. The failure wasn’t only visual – it was about process. Fans felt blindsided, excluded from something that should have been theirs.

Atletico Madrid is another warning sign. Their 2017 crest was carefully rationalised – tidier colours, simplified shapes – but many fans never warmed to it. By 2024, the club voted to bring back the old version. Even a technically well-executed redesign can fail if supporters don’t emotionally accept it.

What makes a redesign work?

Looking at these cases, a few themes emerge. A badge has to work in tiny digital spaces and on physical products. It needs to be simple enough to reproduce but still rich with history. And most importantly, the process matters. Involving fans doesn’t just ease the backlash; it gives the new design legitimacy.

The best redesigns feel like they were always meant to be there. Norwich’s clean-up feels obvious in hindsight. Manchester City’s roundel fits naturally into the club’s history. Even Juventus, controversial as it was, has settled into its role because it came with a clear vision.

The worst redesigns feel imposed. They arrive suddenly, with little explanation or consultation, and supporters reject them before they’ve had a chance to breathe.

Final thoughts

Football badges are some of the most emotionally loaded design projects out there. They have to carry history while solving the technical realities of modern branding. Too traditional and they become impractical; too modern and they lose their soul.

As a designer, I see the appeal of minimalism and adaptability. As a fan, I know the importance of identity and belonging. The challenge is finding the balance. When it’s done well, the new badge doesn’t just look right, it feels right. And in football, feeling is everything.

Ready to Level Up Your Logo?

Is your logo in need of a refresh? Falling behind in a competitive industry? Our expert design team is ready to help you stand out. Get in touch at hello@squareintheair.com to learn how we can transform your logo and brand to capture attention and drive results.