Why Are Club Logos On The Left Of Football Shirts?
We’ve all seen a player kiss or point at their club crest in celebration of an amazing goal. It is a symbol of team pride and a way of dedicating a goal to the club.
Football team kits today are often covered with logos from sponsors, from kit brands and charities. The team’s logo or crest is almost always prominently displayed on the left pec.
One answer is that historically, military crests and medals on uniforms were usually on the left over the heart to show their allegiance. But its placement also had a more practical application.
A right-handed swordsman would draw his sword from the left hip, with the strap on the right shoulder and across the chest. If the crest, used to identify the soldier, was on the right of the chest, it would be covered up.
Today, the tradition remains, and science backs it up in the logo placement. According to research, the gaze of humans is naturally biased toward the left, meaning we look to the left side of the chest more often than the right.
To our brains, a logo on the left is automatically considered to be more important than one on the right!
Sports kit logo design strategies!
If a shirt has multiple graphics and brands on the front, the others are added in certain places according to the hierarchy. Sports kit manufacturers’ brands like Nike, Puma and Joma, have their logo on the opposite chest to the club logo.
The main sponsor will often be placed in the centre of the stomach on the front of the shirt. Charity or sponsor logos would usually go on the left sleeve, and the English Premier League lion would go on the right sleeve.
There are occasions where designers ignore the tradition, especially when it comes to third kits and goalkeepers’ shirts.
The 2025/26 season sees teams including Tottenham Hotspur, Brentwood and Brighton & Hove with their crests and kit manufacturers’ logos in the centre of the chest.
When designing your own football kit, club crest placement is something to consider. At the end of the day, it is your choice whether you want to put your team logo close to your heart on the left side of the chest.