Every football league around the world must have a characteristic in the form of a logo. One of them is the Champions League logo whose name is so well known throughout European football and even throughout the world.
The Champions League logo itself has a unique characteristic with eight stars forming a circle resembling a ball. Do you know the history and meaning of the Champions League logo?
History of the Champions League Logo
Reporting from The Independent, the Champions League logo has been in use since 1992 and is given the name “starball”. In 1991, UEFA asked its commercial partner, Television Event and Media Marketing (TEAM), to help “brand” the Champions League. TEAM then selected the logo that was created by a man from England, Phil Clements. He was the founder of the company Design Bridge.
In the competition, Phil Clements competed with 50 other designers. Phil Clements carries a simple logo design with eight stars forming a spherical circle. Clements’ simple and elegant logo design was finally chosen to become the championship logo between European football clubs.
According to TEAM, “Irrespective of whether you are a spectator in Moscow or Milan, you will always see the same stadium dressing materials, the same opening ceremony featuring the ‘starball’ centre circle ceremony, and hear the same UEFA Champions League Anthem”. Based on research it conducted, TEAM concluded that by 1999, “the starball logo had achieved a recognition rate of 94 percent among fans”.
Meaning of the Champions League Logo
The logo of eight stars forming a circle resembling a ball has meaning. The meaning of the eight stars in the Champions League logo reflects the eight star teams that enter the group phase, according to the initial league format. “The logo represents a league system culminating in eight teams facing each other,” said Phil Clements as quoted by The Independent in September 2014. “I think that was the original idea and why there are eight stars,” he said further.
In addtion, some said it represents the original 8 teams in the league. They are AC Milan, Club Brugge, CSKA Moscow, IFK Goteborg, Marseille, Porto, PSV Eindhoven & Rangers.
