There is no shortage of connections between football and horse racing, with the field’s top stars succeeding as owners.
The most prominent of these include Sir Alex Ferguson and Michael Owen, the latter of whom will target a number of high-profile junior races in the 2026 Breeders’ Cup at the end of October.
But the connection between football and horses goes beyond racing, with many clubs making the horse a central feature of their badges. But which football clubs have a horse in their logo?
Gillingham FC
Gillingham FC is one of the clubs in England that have a horse on their badge, the white horse represents the traditional White Horse of Kent. Gils was founded in New Brompton in 1893 before being renamed Gillingham in 1912.
After a period in the wilderness, they were promoted to the Football League in 1950 when the competition was expanded to 92 clubs.
Their most notable achievements have been in the fourth tier of English football, winning the title twice, most recently under Martin Allen in 2012-13. Since the peak of that success, it has been a turbulent period for the Gills, as Gillingham were relegated to League Two in 2021–22.
FC Twente
FC Twente has changed its logo several times throughout its history, but the horse remains a symbol of the Dutch club’s heritage. The white horse logo at the center of the design makes it one of the most iconic in Dutch football.
The feat also remains the most recent occasion in which none of the big three Dutch teams have won the title. Twente have enjoyed more success since 2010 as they have won the Eerste Divisie twice, the KNVB Cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield.
Le Mans FC
Le Mans FC features a horse in its logo to pay homage to the 24 Hours of endurance motor racing, a prominent event on the regional calendar. The French club was founded in June 1985 and enjoyed an unexpected period of success after back-to-back promotions to reach Ligue 1.
Le Mans has endured a brilliant modern era since building its new state-of-the-art stadium, the Stade Marie-Marvingt. However, one of the most controversial events in recent French football has involved the club, as they were shocked from Ligue 2 in 2019-20 after the campaign was suspended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.