The Costa Rica national football team, governed by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (FCRF), introduced a new visual identity in November 2021. The redesign was led by the Costa Rican agency PUPILA and applies to both the federation and the national selections, which received separate marks for the first time.[1]
Design and History
The current crest replaced a circular emblem that had featured a footballer preparing to shoot, a design that had been in use for roughly twenty years.[1] The new identity was unveiled on November 24, 2021, as part of the federation’s centenary celebrations.[2]
The new shield is based on the country’s coat of arms, including its overall shape and the three volcanoes depicted at the top of the crest.[3] The national team’s version features a large red “CR” monogram on a white field with blue side panels and a gold border.[4] The federation’s institutional mark adds the initials “FCRF” alongside the shield.[1]
The project began with interviews with players, former national team members, journalists and federation officials.[5] PUPILA studied how other national federations used their countries’ coats of arms on their crests before settling on the two foundational national symbols: the flag and the coat of arms.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The red, white and blue palette comes directly from the Costa Rican flag.[1] The three peaks at the top of the shield represent the country’s volcanoes and mountain ranges, echoing the national coat of arms.[7] The gold border was added to highlight the national teams as the elite of Costa Rican football.[1]
The creative concept was summarized by the phrase “Costa Rica no tiene ejército, pero sí a su selección” (“Costa Rica has no army, but it does have its national team”).[5] Carolina Ulloa, the federation’s marketing and communications director, said the new brand was meant to represent Costa Rica as “a brave country, of volcanoes, of strong colors and elegant forms.”[1]
Typography and Design
The project included a custom typography created from scratch, described as more modern and solid-looking.[5] The blue tone was adjusted slightly darker than the flag’s blue to create greater contrast with the new lettering.[1] The logo was made available in four monochromatic versions (red, blue, white and gold) for use depending on the uniform.[8]
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