Atlético Madrid

If you think of football, and you think of Madrid… you probably think of that other team. But that’s to do a deep disservice to Atlético Madrid – a club with a fierce identity, a storied past, and a badge packed with meaning.

Founded in 1903 by Basque students inspired by Athletic Bilbao, Atlético have grown from humble beginnings to become one of Spain’s most successful clubs. With 11 La Liga titles, 10 Copa del Rey wins, three UEFA Europa League trophies, and three Champions League final appearances, this is a club that has consistently challenged Spain’s elite – and often beaten them.

So, let’s #GetTheBadgeIn and look beyond the red and white stripes and find out why on earth there is bear shaking a tree on the badge.

So, let’s get straight to it - at the centre of that badge stands a bear reaching up into a strawberry tree. At first glance, it might seem like an odd choice for a football crest – but this emblem predates the club, and even modern Spain. It’s the ancient coat of arms of Madrid itself, and its origins go back to the early 1200s.

Back then, the area around Madrid was heavily forested, with bears roaming wild. The local council and the church got into a drawn-out legal dispute over who controlled the woodlands and pastures. Eventually, in 1222, a ruling divided the rights: the church would manage the animals, and the town would own the land. To mark this agreement, Madrid adopted a new coat of arms: a standing bear leaning against a madroño tree – a native tree often (though not always accurately) translated as “strawberry tree.” In reality the tree grows the arbutus berry – less sweet than a strawberry but still used by locals to make jams.

The bear and the tree became a lasting symbol of civil authority and local independence. A nice little nod to a division between Church and State too.

That symbol remained a constant through centuries of Spanish history. In 1561, King Philip II chose Madrid as the permanent seat of royal power. He wanted a location that was geographically central, politically neutral, and – crucially – without a powerful local nobility that could rival the monarchy. Madrid was small, strategically placed, and just the right mix of insignificant and promising. From that point on, Madrid became Spain’s capital, and the bear and the tree stood as its enduring emblem.

Philip II himself was not a casual monarch. He ruled over one of the largest empires the world had ever seen, stretching from the Americas to the Philippines (named after him), and including vast territories in Europe, North Africa, and Asia. A devout Catholic, Philip was known for his austere character, his obsession with paperwork, and his direct micromanagement of his kingdom’s affairs from his desk at the El Escorial palace. He was also the man behind one of the most ambitious military campaigns in European history: the ill-fated Spanish Armada of 1588.

Philip clearly liked a big project – and making Madrid the imperial capital of his global empire fit the bill. His decision transformed a modest town into the administrative and symbolic heart of Spain.

Today, the same symbol is worn with pride by Atlético Madrid – a club whose identity is deeply tied to the capital’s working-class roots and local character. While Real Madrid may have long been linked to royalty and prestige, Atlético are the people’s club – and that symbolism runs straight through their badge. The bear and tree ground them firmly in the history and soil of the city they call home.

Atlético Madrid's badge also features seven stars. They are meant to represent the Ursa Major constellation, also known as the Great Bear.

Atlético Madrid’s famous red and white stripes are the subject of several overlapping origin stories. The most widely accepted explanation is their early link to Athletic Bilbao. Atlético was founded in 1903 by Basque students living in Madrid who saw their new club as a youth branch of Athletic Bilbao. At first, they played in blue and white kits, just like Bilbao, which had adopted the colours of Blackburn Rovers. But by 1910, both clubs had switched to red and white stripes. One story suggests the change came after Juan Elorduy, an Athletic player and board member, travelled to England to buy kits. Unable to find Blackburn Rovers shirts, he instead brought back red and white ones from Southampton, which were then adopted by both clubs.

Another theory holds that red and white stripes were simply the cheapest to produce, as they matched the fabric used to make mattresses in Spain. The leftover material made for easy shirt-making, and this led to Atlético’s enduring nickname, Los Colchoneros – "the mattress makers". Some say the nickname only gained traction after the Spanish Civil War, when mattresses with red and white covers were especially common. Either way, whether shaped by supply chains, symbolism, or simple practicality, Atlético’s colours have become an unmistakable part of the club’s identity.

So next time you see that badge – bear, tree, stripes, and all – know that it carries centuries of meaning. A woodland dispute. A royal capital. Inadvertent Southampton fans. A football club that never forgets where it comes from.