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Liverpool Football Club has changed badges throughout its history
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The modern LFC badge is not the one seen on the current kits
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The Liver Bird has been on every version of the Liverpool crest
Liverpool are one of the biggest clubs in world football. Their brand and their badge is as recognisable as any in the world. Six-time European champions and perennially featured in football betting and beyond, few clubs can rival Liverpool’s fan base.
Even when the Premier League odds make them no more than an outsider for the title, Liverpool are at the centre of sports media attention worldwide. A rich history of success and hundreds of millions of fans will have that impact.
From the days of Kenny Dalglish to Steven Gerrard, Liverpool’s colour scheme has remained the same. Anfield has retained its fortress status.
LFC Badge - Guide:
The trophies have arrived with relative regularity. The LFC badge has altered over the club’s history, however, as is the case with every club.
These tweaks have varied in significance. Sometimes it’s a simple case of recognising a landmark in the club’s history. Sometimes there is a more notable alteration to the symbolism in the LFC badge.
Liverpool are not the only club to change their badge over the decades, but with trophies won often and fans around the globe, more are aware of the changes than with other clubs.
Here’s everything you need to know about the LFC badge…
Liverpool Badge History:
When the club was founded in 1892, Liverpool’s colours were closer to those of Everton. The red worn by the team which lifted the Premier League trophy in 2020 has become synonymous with the club, but that wasn’t always the case.
Upon starting out in the 19th century, Liverpool Football Club adopted the city’s coat of arms as its badge. This changed after the Second World War, however, when the club used a different LFC badge on letterheads, matchday programmes and merchandise.
This badge was a move away from the coat of arms and has similarities to Manchester United’s 21st century badge.
The second LFC badge ever was used for a while, but it’s not a familiar sight for younger fans. According to the Liverpool website, this badge was last used back in the 1980s.
The first LFC badge to feature on a kit was a simpler version, featuring a lone Liver Bird. This red crest was on the white jersey worn in the 1950 FA Cup final.
Only briefly used by the club, however, a revamp came in 1955 as ‘LFC’ was added below the Liver Bird. This was the first time the crest featured on Liverpool’s home shirts.
For years to come, the LFC badge remained much the same. Colours of the stitching changed, and the oval surrounding the Liver Bird departed, but this was the foundation of the LFC badge until the late 1980s.
This was when the club opted for a shield shape, which has become commonplace since. ‘Liverpool Football Club’ was on the badge for the first time, too.
The first shield-based badge had been around for a while before it was on the players’ jerseys in the 1987/88 season. It remained the same until 1992/93, when a special centenary LFC badge was used.
This new badge was adapted the following season, adding eternal flames in 1993 in memory of the Hillsborough victims.
A facelift was given to the crest in 1999, and a special edition created for the club’s 125-year anniversary, but the basis has remained the same with a shield, the Liver Bird and the eternal flames.
First Liverpool Badge:
A far cry from the simplistic offerings to come, the first ever LFC badge was a straight adoption of the city’s coat of arms. This featured a Roman god and a Greek god.
Neptune, the Roman god of freshwater and sea, and Triton, Greek god and messenger of the sea, stood either side of two Liver birds.
The two gods represented Liverpool’s geographical location by the water and how the sea had influenced the city’s growth.
A Latin phrase atop the badge translated simply to "God hath granted us this ease". The words ‘Liverpool Football Club’ featured in a banner along the bottom of the first LFC badge.
Liverpool Badge Liver Bird:
The Liver Bird is a mythical creature, and the symbol of the city of Liverpool. It has, of course, been used by Liverpool Football Club throughout its history. The LFC badge has featured the Liver Bird ever since the club was founded in 1892.
Liverpool and the Liver Bird have become eternally linked. However, Everton were the first team to use the Liver Bird as part of their badge.
Back in 2008, Liverpool attempted to secure a trademark for the version of the Liver Bird depicted on the LFC badge.
This wasn’t received positively by the city’s council, but the club acquired a trademark a couple of years later after reaching an agreement with the council.
Current Liverpool Badge:
The current Liverpool badge comes in two forms. The version seen on kits is perhaps the one football prediction followers have become more familiar with in recent years, but the club’s official badge hasn’t actually changed.
Liverpool’s kits feature a toned-down version of the Liverpool badge, similar to the one used in their 1980s glory days. This is simply a white Liver Bird with the text ‘LFC’ below.
The official LFC badge has remained the same since 1999. This includes the eternal flames to commemorate Hillsborough, a Liver Bird, the text ‘Liverpool Football Club’ and a note to when the club was established at the bottom.
This version of the badge can be found on Liverpool merchandise and on the iconic Main Stand at Anfield.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Jon Super / AP Photo*
