Ajax Logo PNG
The logo of the Dutch football club “Ajax,” depicting a stylized image of the legendary hero, features a memorable design. Its symbolism reflects the number of players, the number of club titles, and the dedication to their city.
Ajax: Brand overview
| Founded: | 18 March 1900 |
| Founder: | AFC Ajax N.V. |
| Headquarters: | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Website: | ajax.nl |
Meaning and History
Ajax’s logo contained an image of the “Ajax” player placed in a circle, with understandable words about where the club is from and its name. The players wore uniforms with vertical red and white stripes and black shorts.
Eleven years later, designers added a legendary wide vertical red stripe to the shirt and painted the shorts white. Accordingly, the “Ajax” logo underwent some color changes.
The team performed with this logo for nine years, but at the celebration of the 25th anniversary, the team leaders decided to take a radical step and completely change the “Ajax” logo. From the previous logo, only the circular shape and the inscription with the team’s name remained. A drawing of the character “Ajax” was placed in the circle, the inscription was added on the left, and on the right, they reminded of the characteristic club colors. The image was placed on a porcelain plate, and the official announcement about the logo change was made in the club news newspaper on September 20, 1928.
Over the years, the “Ajax” logo became more recognizable. It lasted 65 years, but it was time to change the emblem. The drawing was simplified, and one new feature was added, emphasizing that this is a football club. Designers drew 11 new lines on the new “Ajax” emblem, symbolizing the number of players on the field.
In total, the club has changed its logo three times, but the fourth version of the “Ajax” emblem, adopted in 1990, remains unchanged to this day.
What is Ajax?
“Ajax” is an abbreviation for the Amsterdam football club “Ajax” from the Netherlands. Founded in 1900, the club plays at a professional level, is a member of the Eredivisie, and has won 20 KNVB Cup titles and 36 Eredivisie titles. The team is based in Amsterdam and named after the ancient Greek hero.
1900 – 1911
The Amsterdam football club “Ajax” was created in 1900. Then its first emblem appeared, which was quite rare in the sports world: many teams did without graphic signs at the dawn of their existence. The drawing’s meaning was simple: an “Ajax” player in a white shirt with red stripes and black shorts. The black and white ball indicated a connection to football. The character was inside a light circle within a red ring with the inscription “AMST. FOOTBALL-CLUB AJAX.”
1911 – 1928
The logo changed when the team first won the Eerste Klasse title and moved to the top division. The redesign involved updating the equipment, as it coincided in color with the uniform of the Dutch club “Sparta Rotterdam,” and away kits did not exist at the time. As a result, the new “Ajax” home kit appeared on the emblem: white shorts and a shirt of the same color with two red vertical lines – on the back and chest. At the same time, the red shade became a bit brighter.
1928 – 1991
In 1928, the team’s owners decided to link the emblem to the name. As a result, artists depicted the ancient Greek hero named Ajax turned in profile. Other mythological characters – centaurs – were drawn on his headgear. On the left was the inscription “AJAX,” on the right – a quadrilateral coat of arms with a round base, divided by a black diagonal line into two parts.
The upper half of the shield was red, the lower half – white. All elements were inside a double ring. In form, color, and composition, this logo resembled the design of the club’s jubilee porcelain plate, which appeared in 1925.
1991 – today
The 1928 emblem lasted 62 years, but it was not simple enough for commercial use. Therefore, in 1990, designers made the portrait of “Ajax” abstract and minimalist, removing distracting details. They removed the coat of arms and black ring, adding a new frame in the form of red arched stripes and the words “AJAX,” “AMSTERDAM.”
Ajax: Interesting Facts
AFC Ajax from Amsterdam is a famous soccer team known for focusing a lot on training young players and playing a fun, attacking style of soccer.
- Starting Out: Ajax was created on March 18, 1900, and quickly became a top team in Dutch soccer and famous in Europe.
- Total Football: In the 1970s, Ajax was famous for playing “Total Football.” This meant all players were good at playing in different spots, making it hard for other teams. Johan Cruyff, a superstar player, showed off Rinus Michels’s idea.
- Winning in Europe: Ajax won the UEFA Champions League, a huge European soccer tournament, four times (1971, 1972, 1973, and 1995). Their team in the 1970s was one of the best.
- Training Young Players: Their youth academy, called “De Toekomst” (The Future), is known for making good players who do well in big soccer leagues worldwide.
- Johan Cruyff: Johan Cruyff was one of the best players ever and started at Ajax. He helped them win in the 1970s and later came back to coach the team.
- Winning in the Netherlands: Ajax has won the Dutch league, Eredivisie, many times, more than any other team. They’re good in their own country.
- Ajax Women: Ajax’s team started in 2012 and has won several times in the Dutch league and the KNVB Women’s Cup.
- Smart Coaching: Ajax is known for having smart coaches who invent new ways to play soccer. These include Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff, and Erik ten Hag.
- Their Stadium: They play games at the Johan Cruyff Arena, named after their best player. It’s a cool place with a great atmosphere.
- Influence: Ajax has influenced soccer a lot, not just by winning games but also by training players and thinking about soccer. Teams and coaches worldwide look up to Ajax’s methods.
Ajax isn’t just a soccer team; they’ve changed how soccer is played and thought about, especially with their focus on young players and exciting soccer.
Font and Colors
The logo of the Amsterdam football club “Ajax” traditionally depicts the mythological character Ajax, one of the two eponymous ancient Greek heroes who participated in the siege of Troy. The eleven lines that make up the portrait represent the same number of football players. Another important element is the three five-pointed golden stars. They are located at the very top and symbolize the multitude of club titles in the Dutch Eredivisie.
The word “AJAX” uses a sans-serif font, which was introduced into the logo back in 1911. Both letters, “A,” resemble a similar letter written in the Kurversbrug font. This is indicated by the characteristic low position of the vertical stroke. The signs “J” and “X” do not belong to Kurversbrug, although this font has been used on all “Ajax” football shirts since 2017. The word “AMSTERDAM” is executed in a classic grotesque style.
All graphic signs contain the colors of the city of Amsterdam: black, white, and red. They are taken from the captain’s armband and are part of the official club palette. In the latest version of the emblem, the six diagonal lines on the edges are red, and the abstract portrait and inscription are black and white, serving as the general background.
Ajax color codes
| Fire Engine Red | Hex color: | #d2122e |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 210 18 46 | |
| CMYK: | 0 91 78 18 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 185 C |
| Black | Hex color: | #000000 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 0 0 0 | |
| CMYK: | 0 0 0 100 | |
| Pantone: | PMS Process Black C |
