Imagine a club having a crest so divisive that it created controversy with fans, players and staff for over 80 years. This is what America de Cali has to constantly deal with, the Colombian clubs crest has always split opinions and will most likely continue to do so for generations to come.
This story begins in the 1930's, when America was founded and began sporting their first crest on their jerseys. The crest was pretty standard, it featured the South American continent with the name of club written around it, all in red and white. In the early 1940's America made the controversial change, a journalist at the time said America's players looked liked devils on the field due to the lively yet fierce manner which they played in, almost mischievous.
The club loved that phrase, embraced it as an identity and made it the official crest. A major factor that was never taken into consideration was that Colombia was and is a very religious country, specifically Christian. Even though most people understood that it was just a metaphor and a mascot, there were many others who never approved of the change.
Gabriel Ochoa Uribe, a historic figure within the club, was the first member of America to be vocally against it. Uribe started as a goalkeeper, went on to become team doctor, and eventually coach. He was part of America for a non-consecutive 12 year period between the late 40s and 60s, during which he would often refuse to wear the crest with the devil and instead wore just the clubs championship stars.
From 1979 to 1992 the devil had been completely left aside, instead a new crest with the same outline but with just the club name inside was adopted. Anthony "El Pitufo" Avila, another club legend who had been playing for America since 1982, was openly catholic and against the devil on the crest. He famously played a Copa Libertadores final against River Plate with his own clubs crest patched in white.
Nevertheless, the devil seemed to have returned for good. Aside from commemorative anniversary crests, the version with the devil has been used ever since with the exception of 2008 and 2019, and both times the club blamed the manufacturer and claimed it was a stylistic choice. Both times the absence of the now beloved mascot caused outrage amongst the fans, and in the most recent occurrence they made #ElDiabloNoSeToca (Don't Touch The Devil) trend on the internet. The following jersey had the crest that the fans wanted and was released with the hashtag #ElDiabloVuelveACasa (The Devil Has Returned Home).
Even though it is unlikely this is the end of controversy, at least it seems like the majority of fans have fully embraced the devil as the clubs identity and it will never completely go away.
