Benfica Logo PNG
The Benfica logo features many events from the club’s history. The emblem shows players always ready to go on a journey, demonstrating their ability to control the ball and their right to be called champions.
Sport Lisboa e Benfica, better known as Benfica, was founded in 1904. Its successes are legendary, although its failures are not overlooked. For example, the myth of the “curse of Béla Guttmann” has circulated worldwide for years.
It all started in 1962 when the club owners refused to raise the salary of the famous coach Béla Guttmann. Outraged, he left and announced that Benfica would lose all European Championships for over a hundred years. So far, the prediction is proving true: since then, the club has not won a single European Cup, although it has done well in other competitions.
Meaning and History
Benfica is deservedly considered the most titled club in Portugal. Perhaps an old talisman, the eagle Vitória, whose nickname translates as “Victory,” leads it to victory. This bird appears on almost all the team’s emblems, watching closely from the heraldic shield. But the “curse of Béla Guttmann” seems too tough for her.
What is Benfica?
Benfica is the abbreviated name for the Portuguese football team Sport Lisboa e Benfica. They participate in the Primeira Liga and are part of the Big Three, along with Sporting CP and FC Porto. The club was founded in 1904 and is based in Lisbon.
1904 – 1908
In 1904, Sport Lisboa was created – the main predecessor of Benfica. At the same time, its first logo appeared: a coat of arms, a ribbon with an inscription, and an eagle spreading its wings wide. The shield was divided into two parts: white and blue. A diagonal stripe partially covered it, bearing the club’s initials: S. L.; a round ball sat at the center.
The tape contained the Latin motto “E pluribus unum,” which means “One of many.” This phrase became the United States’ popular slogan and, in its meaning, suited the football team perfectly.
1906 – 1908
In 1906, the second predecessor of the modern Benfica, the Grupo Sport Benfica, emerged. But while Sport Lisboa focused on football first, Grupo Sport Benfica focused primarily on cycling. Even the club’s then logo, which resembles a bicycle wheel, testifies to this. In the middle, at the junction of the spokes, was a shield figure on which the artists depicted an oval ball and a ribbon with the letters “G. S. B.”
1908 – 1930
In 1908, one of the most important events in Benfica’s history took place: the two ancestor clubs merged to create Sport Lisboa e Benfica. Their emblems were also merged, resulting in the Sport Lisboa graphic appearing within the Grupo Sport Benfica bicycle wheel. The lettering on the center stripe has changed because the initials have changed after the rebranding.
1930 – 1961
In the early 1930s, another version of the logo was introduced, this time more colorful. The designers added new colors to the existing palette, taken from the Portuguese flag: blue and green. Also, they made the shield triangular and enlarged the gray ring representing the bicycle tire.
The ribbon’s shape also changed: its ends no longer curl but hang down along the edges. Another innovation concerns the eagle’s design: before, the bird bent its head; now it looks up proudly.
1961 – 1973
The brown color used for the ball, eagle, initials, and outlines has been removed. The ball became as red as the left half of the backboard, with only thin yellow lines separating them. The outlines of the remaining elements, the bird, and all the inscriptions are yellow in some places, with the addition of black, a blue-green band with the abbreviation “S. L. B.”, and an orange outer ring. The eagle is not depicted as detailed as before: the artists chose a very simple drawing style.
1973 – 1999
Once again, experimenting with the palette, the designers made the ball yellow, repainted the diagonal stripe on the shield blue, and painted the wheel white. The shades are much paler. The elements’ proportions also changed slightly. The eagle looks much the same as the 1930-1961 emblem except for the new color scheme.
1999 – today
At the end of the 20th century, the club adopted a modern version of the logo, which focused on the eagle. Now it sits not on the tape but right on the wheel, and the artists reduced the circle’s diameter, so the bird looks much larger. After the 2008/2009 season, three yellow stars appeared over the Raptors’ head, representing the 30 championships won. This version is only used on T-shirts.
Font and Colors
The graphic sign Benfica combines the main symbols of its predecessors. The eagle was taken from the Sport Lisboa emblem. It represents nobility, power, and independence. The bicycle wheel first appeared in Grupo Sport Benfica’s logo; it represents the cycling sport that dominated the club.
The abbreviated name and Latin motto Benfica are written in a simple sans-serif type. The colors are very symbolic: white stands for peace, red (#ED1C24) for nobility, and French Blue (#0072BC), Cyber Yellow (#FFD400), and Philippine Green (#008047) are reminiscent of Portugal’s flag. Additional colors include black and Philippine Silver (#B1B3B6).