Historical Crests CR Flamengo

Name: ​ CR Flamengo

Nickname(s): ​Mengão (Big Mengo), Rubro-Negro (The Red and Black)

Founded: ​1895

Stadium: ​Estádio do Maracanã (Maracanã)

Capacity: 78,838

CR Flamengo Crest History

The crest history of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo reflects the club's origins as a rowing institution and its later transformation into one of the most recognisable football clubs in the world. Two symbols have remained central to Flamengo's identity: the intertwined CRF monogram and the famous red-and-black horizontal stripes.

The original 1895 emblem was created when Flamengo was still primarily a rowing club. It was an elaborate heraldic design featuring crossed oars and an anchor, clearly representing the club's nautical origins. The letters connected with the club were incorporated into the composition, while red and black already formed the basis of its visual identity.

After Flamengo established its football department in 1911, a new football crest appeared. The 1912–1944 design introduced the format that would become synonymous with Flamengo: a shield containing horizontal red-and-black stripes with the intertwined CRF monogram positioned in the upper-left corner. This created the basic visual identity that has survived for more than a century.

The 1944–1980 crest refined this concept. The shield became cleaner and more symmetrical, while the white CRF monogram was placed inside a red canton. The alternating red-and-black horizontal bands remained the dominant feature.

Between 1980 and 1981, the shield was redrawn with stronger outlines and slightly altered proportions. The pointed lower section became more pronounced, giving the badge a sharper appearance while retaining the traditional striped composition.

The 1981–1988 version made further subtle adjustments to the shape of the shield and the arrangement of the stripes. By this period, Flamengo's red-and-black shield had become firmly established internationally, coinciding with one of the greatest eras in the club's sporting history.

Alongside the football shield, Flamengo continued to use an emblem reflecting its rowing heritage. The 1983–1997 version featured crossed oars and an anchor inside a red-and-black shield, accompanied by the club's initials. This emblem represented Flamengo's wider multi-sport identity rather than replacing the famous football badge.

From 1989 to 1997, Flamengo also prominently used the standalone CRF monogram. The intertwined red letters appeared without the striped shield and were accompanied by four stars, creating a simplified alternative identity centred entirely on the club's initials.

The 1997–2000 version retained the large CRF monogram but altered its outline and presentation. The accompanying stars remained, while the overall design became lighter and more streamlined.

In 2000, Flamengo returned decisively to the traditional striped shield. The 2000–2009 crest featured a black-bordered shield with red-and-black horizontal bands and the white CRF monogram positioned within a red square in the upper-left corner. It was a modernised interpretation of the historic design first established in 1912.

For 2009–2010, Flamengo briefly used the standalone red CRF monogram, this time accompanied by a single gold star above it. This represented another temporary move toward a minimalist identity without the traditional shield.

The 2010–2018 crest restored the complete red-and-black shield. The proportions were refined, the monogram was enlarged and the horizontal bands were given a cleaner, more contemporary appearance.

In 2018, Flamengo introduced its current crest as part of a broader modernisation of the club's visual identity. The 2018–Present badge retains all of the essential historical elements: the black shield, horizontal red-and-black stripes, and the white CRF monogram in the upper-left red canton. The lines, spacing and typography were simplified to improve clarity and consistency across digital, commercial and sporting applications.

CR Flamengo Club History

Clube de Regatas do Flamengo was founded on 17 November 1895 in Rio de Janeiro, originally as a rowing club. Rowing was one of the city's most popular sports at the time, and Flamengo's location beside Guanabara Bay strongly influenced its early identity. The club adopted red and black as its colours, which would eventually become among the most recognisable colours in Brazilian football.

Football became part of Flamengo in 1911, following a dispute at Fluminense. A group of Fluminense players left the club and joined Flamengo, leading to the creation of a football department. Flamengo played its first official football match in 1912, defeating Mangueira 16–2, and quickly established itself as one of Rio de Janeiro's leading teams.

The club won its first Campeonato Carioca in 1914, followed by another in 1915. Over subsequent decades Flamengo accumulated numerous state championships and developed an enormous following. Its red-and-black shirts earned the team and its supporters the name Rubro-Negro, while Flamengo gradually grew from a Rio institution into a club with nationwide appeal.

The emergence of the Maracanã after its opening in 1950 became particularly important to Flamengo. Although the stadium was not owned by the club, many of Flamengo's greatest matches were played there, and the enormous crowds attracted by the team helped establish the Maracanã as its spiritual football home.

Flamengo's greatest period came around the turn of the 1980s, built around an exceptional generation led by Zico, alongside players such as Júnior, Leandro, Adílio, Andrade and Nunes. The team combined technical quality with attacking football and became one of the strongest sides in South America.

In 1980, Flamengo won its first Campeonato Brasileiro title. An even greater season followed in 1981. Flamengo captured the Copa Libertadores for the first time after defeating Chilean club Cobreloa in the final series. The victory qualified Flamengo for the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo, where the Brazilian side produced one of the most celebrated performances in its history, defeating European champions Liverpool 3–0 to become world champions.

Further Brazilian championships followed during the 1980s, cementing Flamengo's position among the country's major football powers. The club continued collecting important trophies in subsequent decades, including the Copa do Brasil, state championships and further national honours, although periods of sporting and financial difficulty also occurred.

A major transformation took place during the 2010s as Flamengo improved its financial management, reduced debt and strengthened its sporting structure. These changes eventually provided the foundation for another exceptional period on the pitch.

The 2019 season became one of the greatest in Flamengo's history. Under Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, a team featuring players such as Gabriel Barbosa, Bruno Henrique, Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Everton Ribeiro dominated Brazilian football. Flamengo won the Campeonato Brasileiro and reached the Copa Libertadores final against River Plate. Trailing 1–0 late in the match, two goals from Gabriel Barbosa produced a dramatic 2–1 victory, giving Flamengo its second Libertadores title.

Flamengo subsequently reached the FIFA Club World Cup final, where it faced Liverpool in a rematch of the famous 1981 encounter. Liverpool won 1–0 after extra time, but Flamengo's appearance confirmed the club's return to the highest level of South American football.

Another Libertadores triumph arrived in 2022. Flamengo defeated fellow Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense 1–0 in the final in Guayaquil, with Gabriel Barbosa scoring the decisive goal. The victory gave Flamengo its third Copa Libertadores title. That same year, the club also won the Copa do Brasil.

Flamengo has developed several major rivalries. The most historically significant is with Fluminense, producing the famous Fla-Flu derby, one of Brazilian football's iconic fixtures. Flamengo also contests intense Rio rivalries with Vasco da Gama, known as the Clássico dos Milhões, and Botafogo. These rivalries have shaped the history of the Campeonato Carioca and regularly attracted enormous crowds to the Maracanã.

Back to Historical Crests Brazil