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When do you receive a star in football?
You sometimes see a star on a football jersey of clubs or national teams. The star is often positioned around the club’s crest on the left chest. It is often the case in Europe that a club receives one golden star when it won ten national league titles. National teams receive a star after winning a World Cup. More information about this star, exceptions and other prestigious badges on football shirts can be found in this article.
The origin of the golden star
The stars around the team’s crest are based on heraldry. This is an overarching term of crests, emblems and symbols knights often receive. The first couple of clubs introduced the golden star in the late fifties. The FIFA was the first sports federation to regulate this form of prestige expression. Other sports use the stars, as well, now. You even encounter the golden stars in e-sports.
The first star in the history of football was awarded to Juventus. They won their tenth national title in 1958 so they deserved a star. Not all countries award clubs a star after winning ten national championships.
Countries with exception to the rule
Some European countries award a star in different circumstances, like Germany. Some countries don’t award stars at all. Countries with exception to the rule can be found in the following overview:
- Germany: a club receives one star after three national titles, two starts after five national titles, three stars after ten national titles, and four stars after 20 national titles. A club can be awarded a maximum of five stars in Germany. Bayern won all five stars already.
- Russia: one star after five national championships
- Turkey: one star after five national championships
- England: no stars
- Spain: no stars
In some countries, reigning champions are allowed to wear a badge with the colours of the national flag on their t-shirt for a year. This is the case in Italy and Turkey.
Prestigious star after every World Cup title
Brazil was the first national team that was awarded a golden star after the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Three were placed instead. One for every World Cup title they won. Other countries did the same thing when they won another World Cup title. FIFA countries are also allowed to place a star on their shirts after winning a golden Olympic medal, but most countries don’t do that. Except for Uruguay, they have four stars on their shirt now instead of two. Brazil’s got five stars, Germany and Italy have got four stars. Argentina’s got three stars and France has got two stars.
Badge of Honour in Champions League
Winners of the Champions League receive a Badge of Honour instead of a golden star. This emblem can be found on the sleeve and shows the amount of Champions League titles the club won. A club is awarded that badge after winning five or three Champions League titles consecutively. Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Ajax are the only clubs that have this Badge of Honour.
Ajax, Real Madrid and Bayern received the title after winning the Champions League Cup three times in a row.
