The Crvena Zvezda logo is very symbolic. The emblem reflects the club’s heritage and its predecessor’s presence in the world of sports. Both the past and current teams are associations of star players, the best representatives of Serbian football.
On March 4, 1945, in Belgrade, a club was founded based on SK Jugoslavija, taking its ground and players. Created by members of the United Anti-Fascist Youth of Serbia, it was named Crvena zvezda after debates over alternatives. On the same day, the team played its first match and won 3:0.
Partizan, formed in 1945 by the Yugoslav People’s Army, became its main rival, shaping the Eternal Derby. In 1946, Crvena zvezda won the Serbian title and entered the Yugoslav league. Three Yugoslav Cups followed in 1948–1950 against Partizan and Dinamo Zagreb. In 1951, the club secured its first national title after a final-round win over Partizan while Dinamo drew with BSK.
During the 1950s, a squad led by Rajko Mitić and Borislav Kostić won five championships between 1953 and 1960. The club reached the European Cup semi-finals in 1957, losing to Fiorentina, and faced Manchester United in 1958. Another peak came in 1968–1970 with three consecutive titles and the rise of Dragan Džajić.
In 1971, Crvena zvezda reached the European Cup semi-finals for the second time but lost to Panathinaikos. In 1979, it played the UEFA Cup final against Borussia Mönchengladbach and lost after a disputed penalty. The greatest success came in 1991 under Ljupko Petrović, when the team defeated Olympique Marseille on penalties in the European Cup final and later beat Colo-Colo 3:0 in Tokyo.
Sanctions imposed in 1992–1995 removed Yugoslav clubs from European competition, and key players left. Domestic success continued, but European results declined. In 2018, the club returned to the UEFA Champions League group stage and defeated Liverpool.
Meaning and History
The star, featured in the football team’s name and on all its logos, has symbolized communist ideology since 1917. The same sign was depicted on the national flag of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
What is Crvena Zvezda?
Crvena Zvezda is a Serbian professional football club that is part of the multi-sport organization Red Star. It is the most successful club in the Balkan region and Southeast Europe. The team has won numerous prestigious high-level championships, including the Intercontinental Cup and European Cup. It was founded in 1945 and is based in Belgrade.
1945 – 1948
In 1945, the Ministry for Sports adopted the club’s first emblem. A five-pointed star associated with the Communist Party of Yugoslavia became part of its identity. In front of her was a human figure, and in the background, there was a yellow circle with an orange frame and the inscription “F. D. CRVENA ZVEZDA “in Serbian.
1948 – 1971
The designers placed the star on a triangular shield to make the logo consistent with the rules of football heraldry. In this case, one half of the symbol was on a red background, and the other half on a white background. In the upper left corner were written the Cyrillic letters “ФК.”
1971 – 1988
Yellow was added to the existing colors. It was used for outlines and abbreviations.
1988 – 1992
After another redesign, the shades changed: light red became burgundy, and yellow – almost orange.
1992 – 1995
The main colors of the new emblem are scarlet, white, and gold. The coat of arms now has a triple border, and the five-pointed star has a white outline.
1995 – 1998
Following the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Crvena Zvezda Football Club adopted a logo that reflected the colors of the SFRY flag: blue, white, and red. The designers placed a shield with a star inside a circle divided into two parts. The right side was painted blue, while the left had 10 red-and-white vertical stripes.
1998 – 2011
In 1995, the club won its twentieth title, considering its victories in three leagues:
- Yugoslav (when the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia existed)
- Serbo-Montenegrin (during the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)
- Serbian (in the present Republic of Serbia )
In 1998, this event was marked on the emblem with two yellow stars above the circle.
2011 – 2012
In the new millennium, Crvena Zvezda reintroduced the 1992-1995 logo, which has since become a classic. The shield is reduced, and above it are two golden stars.
2012 – 2019
To emphasize the club’s symbolism, the designers changed the scale of the elements: the small stars now appear above the large shield.
2019 – today
In 2019, the colors were brighter. A third star has been added at the top in honor of the thirty titles won.
Font and Colors
The football club played in three leagues, survived the war and the collapse of Yugoslavia, but retained its main symbol – the red five-pointed star. If it was the basis of his communist image at the beginning, political associations have now disappeared. Crvena Zvezda is an independent sports brand, and its emblem is a unique symbol unrelated to the ideology of Karl Marx and his followers. However, it is identical to the logo created in 1948.
In the upper left corner of the shield is the abbreviation formed from the first two words of the club’s Serbian name: “Fudbalski klub Crvena Zvezda.” The developers chose a simple sans-serif font.
Crvena Zvezda inherited the official palette of its predecessor, SK Jugoslavija. It includes only two colors: red and blue. This is the same combination used for the emblem, aside from the gold stars and border.












