Stadium:Estadio José Dellagiovanna(El Coliseo de Victoria)
Capacity:26,282
1902
1910
1970
1980
1985
1990
1994-1996
1996-2002
2003-2020
2020-Present
CA Tigre Crest History
The crest history of CA Tigre has undergone considerably greater transformation than that of many Argentine clubs. While the club's traditional red and blue colours have provided continuity, Tigre has experimented with oval badges, geometric monograms, conventional shields and the distinctive rectangular design that eventually became closely associated with El Matador.
The original 1902 emblem was very different from the modern crest. It consisted of a horizontal blue oval surrounded by a red border, carrying the club's original name, Club Atlético Juventud del Tigre, together with a reference to its foundation on 3 August 1902. A small geometric football-related symbol occupied the centre. This badge reflected the club's earliest identity before the shorter Club Atlético Tigre name became established.
By 1910, Tigre had adopted a completely different emblem. A large red inverted triangle containing the white initials C, A and T was superimposed over a geometric blue-and-white framework. This was an early appearance of the CAT initials, which would return repeatedly throughout the club's crest history.
A more conventional football shield appeared by 1970. The badge had a dark-blue field with a prominent red diagonal band, bordered in white, carrying the inscription “C.A. TIGRE.” The upper edge featured three distinctive curved points. This design represented a major shift toward a more traditional Argentine club crest.
The 1980 version simplified this concept. The shield became cleaner and more pointed, while the red diagonal sash remained the principal feature. C.A. TIGRE continued to appear in white across the sash, preserving the club's full abbreviated identity.
Another major redesign arrived in 1985. Tigre abandoned the diagonal shield in favour of the rectangular form that would eventually become the basis of its modern identity. The badge featured two blue vertical panels separated by a broad red central stripe, with a red horizontal panel across the top containing “C.A. TIGRE” in white.
In 1990, this basic structure was retained but the typography changed dramatically. The upper section contained the initials “C.T.A.”, while the letters spelling TIGRE were arranged vertically down the central red stripe. The unusual lettering made this one of the most distinctive variations in the club's history.
The 1994–1996 crest became even more minimalist. The upper red section was left without wording, while the letters C and A appeared separately inside the two blue panels. The large central red stripe dominated the design.
Between 1996 and 2002, Tigre restored the club initials to the upper section. The white inscription “C.A.T.” appeared prominently across the red header, while the blue side panels and broad central red stripe remained unchanged. This version brought the badge closer to the visual structure used today.
In 2003, the club simplified the identity further. Instead of initials, the upper red panel now displayed the name “TIGRE” in large white capital letters. The vertical red centre and dark-blue side panels were retained, producing an extremely simple and immediately recognisable emblem.
The 2003–2020 crest became one of the longest-serving versions in Tigre's modern history. Its straightforward combination of TIGRE, red and blue established the rectangular shield as the club's dominant contemporary identity.
A significant addition came in 2020, following the greatest national cup triumph in the club's history. The basic badge was retained but slightly refined, with cleaner proportions and brighter colours.
Most importantly, a gold star was placed above the crest to commemorate Tigre's victory in the 2019 Copa de la Superliga, when El Matador defeated Boca Juniors in the final to secure its first major top-level national title.
The 2020–Present crest therefore combines the modern identity established during the early 2000s with recognition of one of the defining achievements in the club's history. The word TIGRE remains prominently displayed across the top, while the central red stripe and blue side panels reproduce the colours that have represented the club for generations.
CA Tigre Club History
Founded in 1902, Club Atlético Tigre is a historic Argentine football club traditionally associated with the northern area of Greater Buenos Aires. Although the club originated in the town of Tigre, it later established its permanent home in Victoria, in the Partido de San Fernando. Known as “El Matador” (The Matador), Tigre is recognised by its traditional red-and-blue colours and its passionate local following.
The club was founded on 3 August 1902 as Club Atlético Juventud del Tigre by a group of young football enthusiasts. Its earliest years were spent playing in the Tigre area, where football was rapidly expanding alongside the growth of organised competition in Buenos Aires.
Tigre entered official Argentine football during the early twentieth century and gradually progressed through the developing league structure. In 1912, the club reached the highest level of Argentine football for the first time, beginning a long association with the country's major competitions.
During its early decades, Tigre played at several grounds before relocating to Victoria. In 1936, the club inaugurated the stadium that remains its home today, now officially known as the Estadio José Dellagiovanna. Popularly called the Coliseo de Victoria, the ground became one of the central elements of Tigre's identity.
When Argentine football became professional in 1931, Tigre was among the clubs participating in the new professional era. Although it rarely possessed the financial strength of Buenos Aires' largest institutions, the club developed a reputation for competitive teams capable of challenging stronger opponents.
One of Tigre's finest early periods came during the 1950s. The 1955 season was particularly memorable, with the club producing one of its strongest top-flight campaigns. This generation helped establish Tigre as a respected presence in Argentine football.
The nickname “El Matador” became particularly associated with Tigre during the second half of the twentieth century and eventually developed into one of the club's most recognisable identities.
A major modern revival began during the 2000s. After years outside the Primera División, Tigre secured promotion from the third level in 2005 and then continued its rapid ascent.
In 2007, coached by Diego Cagna, Tigre defeated Nueva Chicago in the promotion play-off and returned to the Primera División after 27 years away from the top flight.
Rather than simply fighting relegation, Tigre immediately became surprisingly competitive. In the 2007 Apertura, the newly promoted side finished as runner-up, announcing the arrival of one of the most successful periods in club history.
Tigre challenged for the championship again in the extraordinary 2008 Apertura. The club finished level on points with Boca Juniors and San Lorenzo, forcing a three-team championship play-off. Tigre defeated Boca during the triangular tournament but ultimately finished runner-up on goal difference.
Another title challenge followed in the 2012 Clausura, when Tigre again finished second. Remarkably, the club had entered the campaign threatened by relegation while simultaneously competing for the championship, illustrating the unusual complexity of Argentina's former average-points relegation system.
Tigre's rise also extended into continental competition. In 2012, El Matador reached the final of the Copa Sudamericana, the first major international final in club history.
The final against Brazilian giants São Paulo ended controversially. After a goalless first leg, Tigre refused to return to the field for the second half of the return match at the Morumbi following serious incidents surrounding the teams and dressing-room area. The match was abandoned and São Paulo were awarded the trophy.
Despite losing the final, Tigre's run to the 2012 Copa Sudamericana final represented a remarkable achievement for a club that had been playing third-tier football only seven years earlier.
Tigre suffered relegation from the Primera División in 2019, but the same season produced the greatest trophy success in its history.
Competing in the inaugural Copa de la Superliga, Tigre eliminated several opponents before meeting Boca Juniors in the final at Córdoba's Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes. Tigre won 2–0, capturing its first major top-level national trophy.
The triumph was especially remarkable because Tigre had already been relegated when it won the competition. Victory also qualified the club for the 2020 Copa Libertadores, creating the unusual situation of a second-division Argentine club participating in South America's premier continental competition.
Tigre subsequently rebuilt in the Primera Nacional and earned promotion back to the top flight in 2021, defeating Barracas Central in the championship final.
The club quickly demonstrated its competitiveness again. In 2022, Tigre reached the final of the Copa de la Liga Profesional, eventually losing to Boca Juniors. Nevertheless, the campaign confirmed that El Matador had once again established itself among Argentina's competitive top-flight sides.
Tigre's principal traditional rivalry is with Platense, a fixture known as the Clásico de la Zona Norte. The rivalry developed from the clubs' geographical connections with the northern part of Greater Buenos Aires and has remained one of the most important elements of Tigre's supporter culture.
Matches against Platense carry particular significance because the rivalry extends beyond sporting competition into local identity. Even when the clubs spent long periods in different divisions, meetings between them retained their derby character.
Tigre has also developed strong competitive relationships with other clubs from the northern Buenos Aires region, particularly through decades of lower-division football, but Platense remains its principal historic rival.
