BADGES
Liverpool
The Reds
From elaborate heraldry to the iconic Liver Bird, Liverpool’s crest has evolved alongside the club’s identity. Each redesign reflects a different era, while keeping the symbol of the city at its heart.
THE STORY
Liverpool’s crest has evolved from elaborate heraldic imagery into one of football’s most recognisable symbols. In the club’s early years, the Liverpool city coat of arms featured prominently in its visual identity. The Liver Bird began appearing on Liverpool shirts in 1950, marking the start of a much more distinctive club identity.
In 1955, the Liver Bird was placed inside an oval with the initials L.F.C., before the oval was removed in 1968, leaving the Liver Bird standing alone above the club initials. A more elaborate shield was introduced in 1987, followed by the club’s centenary crest in 1992.
In 1993, the famous crest incorporating the Shankly Gates, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and the Eternal Flames was introduced. It remains the club’s principal full crest, while the simplified Liver Bird and L.F.C. returned to the shirts in 2012 and has remained the core on-pitch mark.
The crest is therefore less a story of constant replacement than one of simplification, symbolism and different identities serving different purposes, with the Liver Bird ultimately becoming the most flexible and recognisable symbol of Liverpool Football Club.