Football's Visual Language: Tifos as Expressions of Collective Identity

In recent decades, European football has undergone a fundamental transformation, shifting from a community-rooted cultural phenomenon into a globalized entertainment industry shaped by commercialization and institutional branding. Amid this transformation, supporter groups have increasingly asserted themselves as symbolic custodians of club identity, resisting top-down efforts to redefine what football clubs represent. This thesis investigates the symbolic role of tifos, large-scale choreographed displays created by football supporters, as visual expressions of identity and acts of resistance in the context of modern football's commercialization. It responds to two guiding questions: How do tifos created by football supporters function as visual articulations of club identity? And in what ways do they serve as resistance against the commercialization and rebranding of football clubs? Set against a backdrop where football clubs are increasingly treated as global brands, subject to logo simplification, stadium renaming, and market-driven redefinitions of tradition, the study examines how fans respond through visual performance. Despite the growing visibility of tifos in contemporary football culture, academic research has largely overlooked their communicative and cultural significance. This thesis addresses that gap by reframing tifos as strategic performances through which supporters articulate meaning, affirm identity, and contest institutional authority. Methodologically, the study combines semiotic analysis with hybrid thematic coding. A sample of approximately 50 tifos from European clubs (2010-2025) was analysed to uncover both literal and symbolic meanings, using a two-step process: first, identifying denotative and connotative elements in the visuals; second, coding these meanings through a thematic analysis. The findings reveal that tifos serve as complex visual interventions through which supporters co-author the identity of their club. They do so by referencing regional belonging, historical memory, and political values, often in direct opposition to top-down rebranding or institutional narratives. Tifos are not random or decorative; they are intentional acts of cultural authorship. Through slogans, symbols, and historical imagery, supporters reaffirm continuity, express ownership, and project resistance. Academically, this study contributes to the field of football studies by positioning tifos as rich, underexamined media forms. Societally, it highlights the ongoing negotiation between fans and institutions over who has the right to define what a football club represents. As commercial forces reshape the sport, tifos remain one of the few remaining spaces where fans visually reclaim authorship, reminding both clubs and broader audiences that identity is not a marketable asset but a living memory protected by fans.