AJ Auxerre, officially the Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise, is a French football club founded in 1905 by Abbé Deschamps. The club’s visual identity is built around a blue shield bearing a white Maltese cross, an emblem that has been part of the club’s kits since its earliest years.
Design and History
The current AJ Auxerre crest is a blue shield with a white Maltese cross at its center. The club’s name appears in a banner at the top of the shield. The Maltese cross has been associated with the club since its early years, adopted from the symbol used by Catholic youth movements that inspired the club’s name, Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise [1].
The club’s official history records that in 1909, the team wore a white shirt with “bleu roi” (royal blue) trim, colors dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception, with a Maltese cross on the chest as a symbol of Catholic youth movements [2]. The club’s official website describes the Maltese cross as a “strong symbol deeply rooted in the club’s identity” and present on its crest [1].
The current shield composition, with the cross placed on a blue field and the club’s name in a horizontal banner, was formalized in the late 1980s and has since become a constant visual marker of Auxerre’s identity [3]. The club last changed its crest in 2006, with modifications described as slight, affecting color and shape [4].
Meaning and Symbolism
The Maltese cross is the central symbol of the club’s identity. The club’s official history states that the cross was worn on the chest of the first kits in 1909 as a symbol of Catholic youth movements [2]. Macron, the club’s kit manufacturer, describes the Maltese cross as “a powerful symbol deeply embedded in the club’s identity and also featured in its crest” [5].
The club’s colors, white and royal blue, were adopted in 1909 and dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary and the Immaculate Conception, according to the club’s official history [2]. The club’s official website also references the Maltese cross as the “eternal symbol of the club” and a “constant presence on the team’s shirts since its beginnings” [6].
Typography and Design
The club name on the crest is set in the Boulder typeface, according to a description of the current logo [7]. The crest features the club’s name in a banner at the top of the shield, with the Maltese cross centered below it [3].
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
