Even the most clued-up football fans have asked: ‘Why do France have a chicken on their jersey?’
Okay, maybe not the French, but still - it’s a valid question!
There’s a reason French football shirts have a cockerel on them and in this blog, you’ll find out why.
So, let’s get started… or should we say, cock-a-doodle-do!
Why Do France Have a Chicken on Their Jersey?
Firstly, any true French football fan knows that it’s actually not a chicken on their shirt, it’s a cockerel.
The reason why a cockerel is on French football shirts is due to Ancient Roman times!
Regular MysteryFootball readers will know that we love a pun and so did the Romans!
Back in the day, France was known as Gaul and someone from that region would be called Gallus.
Gallus in Latin also means rooster!
You can see where we’re going with this…
Originally used as a slur against the French, they took it in their stride, and it’s now seen as a symbol of bravery and courage.
So much so, that now France have a rooster on their jersey.
And they aren’t the only team who are inspired by animals!
Spanish football tops have the bull, England shirts famously have the Three Lions, and German football shirts have the eagle.
It’s getting a bit like Noah’s Ark now!
Even AI Knows to Put a Cockerel on a French Football Shirt!
Earlier this year, MysteryFootball used AI to create Euros 2024 shirts.
We used Midjourney to style the shirts and asked it to consider the following when creating the design:
- The team’s country flag colours
- Realistic render
- Retro design but modern style
And that it did!
On the French shirt, AI knew to include the Gallic rooster as that’s how symbolic the animal is to the country.
How Has the Rooster Been Used on the France Shirt Over the Years?
The cockerel has been used on Les Bleus football shirts since the inception of the FFF (Fédération Française de Football) in 1919.
Originally the rooster stood on a ball but has since evolved seven times!
In 2007, the football was removed from the logo - leaving the Gallic rooster to stand proud.
But not without the two stars to mark the team’s success in the World Cup.
At the one in 1998, the French mascot was even a giant cockerel named Footix!
And it’s not just the French team who love having a chicken on their shirt, so do the fans…
Image Source: Shutterstock
Three Cheers for Balthazar the Cockerel!
French football fan Clement Tomaszewski (also known as Clement d’Antibes) brings his rooster Balthazar with him to every match possible.
Balthazar rose to fame in 1998 after the team took home the World Cup trophy.
We know what you’re thinking: This is the world’s oldest rooster!
d’Antibes has revealed that although the name remains the same, the cockerel in fact changes.
For the 2016 Euros, UEFA actually banned Balthazar from attending the games!
d’Antibes said:
"My coq's part of the French football legend and yet I can't bring him to a game.
"Balthazar will be there during all the Euro matches. If he isn't allowed in then I won't go in either."
Seeing as France won the Euros that year, maybe Balthazar wasn’t their good luck charm after all!
What Will You Name the Chicken on Your French Football Shirt from MysteryFootball?
Now you know why France has a rooster on their football shirts, why not get one for yourself?
We have a wide selection of French football shirts available - some of which you can find in our National Mystery Football Shirt boxes.
Sometimes we even manage to get our hands on rare and exclusive football shirts - most of which end up in our mystery boxes!
We’ve helped nearly 100,000 happy customers, will you be next?
There really is nowhere better to build out your football shirt collection. Shop with MysteryFootball today.
