World Football Club Crests

It is no secret that Paris Saint-Germain has dominated French football over recent seasons, thanks to the club’s finances. It’s a state of affairs that has attracted criticism in France, but nouveau riche clubs buying themselves titles is not news in the football world, and FC des Girondins de Bordeaux offers the proof.

In 1979, when Claude Bez, the property magnate and former club treasurer, took over the presidency of the club, Bordeaux had long been away from the spotlight. Les Girondins hadn’t won the title for 30 years, and had even spent a couple of seasons in the second division – something that the visionary Claude Bez was determined to put right. Money was pumped into the club and suddenly Bordeaux were a team to be reckoned with. Between 1984 and 1987 they won the league three times and the French Cup twice, a feat which also meant that for a while Bordeaux would provide the backbone of the French national team. The success came at a cost, however, and in 1991 they were forcibly demoted because of their enormous budget deficit (around £45 million).

After the scandal, the club returned straight to the top tier in 1992. Since then players like Zinedine Zidane, Christophe Dugarry and Yoann Gourcuff have taken the team to further successes, albeit not quite as dramatic as those of the mid 1980s.

CLUB: FC des Girondins de Bordeaux

NICKNAME: FCGB, Les Girondins, Le Club au Scapulaire (the Club with the Chevron) and Les Marine et Blanc (the Navy and Whites)

FOUNDED: 1881

STADIUM: Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux (41,458 capacity)

HISTORIC PLAYERS: Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana, Bixente Lizarazu, Zinedine Zidane, Ulrich Ramé and Christophe Dugarry

1936–1955. The emblem of FC Girondins de Bordeaux has undergone several changes through the years. The first version was inspired by the rugby tradition, according to which several early teams wore a V on the front of their shirts. The symbol is now strongly associated with Bordeaux. The V-shape detail on the shirts is called le scapulaire after the sacred dress item that hangs around the neck, suggesting a V-shape, hence the nickname Le Club au Scapulaire (the Club with the Chevron). This shape has also been copied by several other football teams.

1955–1971. Bordeaux is a port, so maritime symbols were included in the emblem in the mid 1950s. The anchor stands for the lively port and its importance for the city that lies on the river Garonne.

1981–1993. In 1981, under Claude Bez, the football section was separated from the other sports in the club. They would now manage their own legal and economic affairs. At the same time, the club reverted to the original badge although it was now modified just for football.

1993–2002. After their forced demotion in 1991, the club opted for a fresh start. They took the opportunity to update the design of the club badge, removing several elements, though le scapulaire remained. There was also a version of this badge in red.

2002–present. In the beginning of the new millennium, another emblem was introduced. The colours were inverted from the previous ones and, possibly most importantly, the symbol from the city of Bordeaux was reinstated. The three interlaced crescent moons come from the city crest and have appeared in all emblems except one. The local association is clearly important for the club. The name Les Girondins refers to the department in which Bordeaux is situated: Gironde.

Zinedine Zidane wearing the famous chevron crest of Bordeaux. In his four years with the club the France midfielder made 139 appreareances and scored 28 goals. In 1996 Zidane received the award for Ligue 1 Player of the Year.