Why do France have a rooster on their badge?

Throughout the tournament so far, Les Bleus’ badge may have caught the eye of fans.

Their kit includes a distinctive badge with a rooster and it has been seen on their national shirt for years. 

The rooster that appears on the French football shirt is called the Gallic Rooster. 

It is a symbol that originated due to the old Latin name for France which is Gaul. This led to people from that region being called ‘Gallus’ which also means rooster in Latin. 

People would treat this as a joke towards the people of France but it would eventually stick and French kings adopted the rooster as a symbol of courage and bravery. 

Its use then became even more widespread after the French Revolution. 

It was seen as a symbol of the people who founded the country and as the republicans rejected a royalist narrative in preference of France’s true roots, the rooster rose to prominence as a symbol to represent the country’s origins. 

During the First World War, it was then used as a symbol of France’s resistance and bravery on the battlefield. 

Its continued rise in prominence led to it remaining popular ever since and the rooster has continued as a symbol of modern France. 

It is now seen on all of the nation’s football and rugby kits and it also features on postage stamps, war memorials and logos.