AS Monaco FC, the professional football club of the Principality of Monaco, competes in France’s Ligue 1. The club was founded on August 23, 1924, following the merger of several local clubs, and celebrates that date as its official founding day.[1] Its crest is one of the most distinctive in French football, built around the red and white diagonal stripe that has defined the club’s visual identity since 1960.
Design and History
The current AS Monaco crest features a princely crown at the top, a shield, and the club’s traditional red, white, and gold colors.[2] The crown references Monaco’s status as a sovereign principality ruled by the Grimaldi family, a feature absent from all other Ligue 1 crests.[3]
The club’s first crest, used in 1924, displayed red and white lozenges (diamonds) inherited from the Grimaldi coat of arms.[3] Around 1960, Princess Grace designed the iconic red and white diagonal stripe, directly inspired by those same lozenges.[3] The diagonal became the club’s visual signature on both the crest and the home jersey, and it has remained in continuous use since.[2]
In 2013, ahead of the club’s return to Ligue 1, AS Monaco commissioned the agency Leroy Tremblot for a complete visual identity overhaul.[4] The redesign preserved the princely crown, shield, and color codes, but the most significant change was in the naming: the word “MONACO” now appears prominently, framed by the initials “AS” and “FC.”[5] The agency also removed the black outline that had surrounded the shield and crown, and reworked the red and gold tones for greater brilliance and elegance.[6]
In May 2021, AS Monaco launched a new brand campaign under the slogan “Rise. Risk. Repeat.”[7] The work was carried out by the agency Interbrand, which also refined the crest.[7] Compared to the 2013 version, the new crest is more linear, with fewer golden details, no shadows, and slightly darker colors.[8] The gold that once adorned the crown was removed.[9]
Meaning and Symbolism
The crest’s core elements carry direct references to the Principality. The crown at the top signals that AS Monaco represents a sovereign state, not a city, making it unique among French league clubs.[3] The red and white diagonal, designed by Princess Grace in 1960, derives from the lozenges of the Grimaldi coat of arms.[3] The club’s official centenary kit in 2024 included a replica of the original 1924 crest, which displayed the letters “ASM” above red and white lozenges recalling the Grimaldi arms.[10]
Typography and Design
As part of the 2021 rebrand, Interbrand designed a custom typeface called “AS Monaco Diagonale.”[7] The font features pointed attributes and geometric forms that create a modern aesthetic, with the diagonal as its principal element, echoing the club’s iconic stripe.[7] The 2021 crest update also introduced two officially named colors: “Daring Red” and “Regal Gold.”[7]
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