While the GROUP STAGE is underway and almost all teams have played their first game already until this week, we can already see the passion and determination of the players as well as the fans. Wearing their team colors, national flags, and their team icons, fans trooped the stadiums filled with anticipation each game. Chanting at the top of their voices, each camp are hoping to get those much-needed GOALS.
But before we get any further into the games, have you noticed that each team has its own nickname?
IN THIS SEGMENT: Hyperlinks will help you further understand the history beyond those names, plus the link to the official social media channels of your favorite teams. The presentation will be as follows. Country | Other Official Name (click here for official Instagram page): also called THEIR NICKNAMES (click here for history/feature articles about their nicknames).
- Argentina | Selección Argentina: also called LA ALBICELESTE (sky blue and white)
- Australia: also called SOCCEROOS (Soccer + Kangaroos that are popular in Australia)
- Belgium: also called RED DEVILS (red jerseys and the red on their flag)
- Brazil | Seleção Brasileira de Futebol: also called SELECAO CANARINHO (Seleção – means The National Squad; also sometimes referred to as Canarinho – Little Canary; or Verde-Amarela – The Green and Yellow)
- Cameroon | Fecafoot-Officiel: also called the INDOMITABLE LIONS (or unbeatable Lions, animals popular in Africa)
- Costa Rica: also called LA SELE (The Sections; also sometimes referred to as The Ticos – natives of Costa Rica)
- Croatia | Hrvatski Nogometni Savez: also called VATRENI (the Fiery Ones or the Blazers, refers to Croatia’s red-and-white chequered shirts, the traditional pattern that fills the national coat of arms.)
- Denmark | Herrelandsholdet: also called DE ROD-HVIDE (The Red-White), Danish Dynamite
- Ecuador | FEF🇪🇨: also called LA TRI (or La Tricolor which refers to the three colors of the Ecuadorian flag: yellow, blue, and red)
- England: also called THE THREE LIONS (because of their badge which is the official emblem of the English Football Association featuring three lions, one on top of the other vertically, with roses dotted in between the gaps)
- France | Equipe de France de Football: also called LES BLUES (L’Equipe Tricolore or The Tri-color Team due to the team’s utilization of the country’s national colors: blue, white, and red)
- Germany | DFB-Team: also called NATIONALELF (National Eleven)
source: FIFA WORLD CUP Facebook Page- Ghana | Ghana Black Stars: also called BLACK STARS (after the Black Star of Africa in the flag of Ghana)
- Iran | TeamMelli : although the Iranian supporters have popularized TEAM MELLI (which means “National Team” in Persian), other nicknames for the team include “Persian Stars” (entitled since the World Cup 2006) “Shiran e Iran”, meaning “The Iranian Lions” or “The Lions of Persia”, “Shirdelan”, “Lion Hearts” and “Princes of Persia” (used since AFC Asian Cup 2011)
- Japan | 日本サッカー協会（JFA）／日本代表／なでしこジャパン : also called the SAMURAI BLUE Blue (サムライ・ブルー, Samurai Burū) (The phrase combines the word for Japan’s ancient warriors, samurai, which has become widely known around the world through such media as the movie Last Samurai, with the color of Japan’s national team shirts, blue)
- Mexico | Selección Nacional de México: also called EL TRI (comes from the Mexican flag, which has three distinctive colors: green, white, and red. Mexico traditionally plays in jerseys comprised of these three colors)
- Morocco | Équipe du Maroc: also called THE ATLAS LIONS (The Lions of the Atlas Mountains)
- Netherlands : also called ORANJE (meaning, Our Orange which is the color of their jersey)
- Poland | Portal Wszystkich Kibiców: also called BIALO-CZERWONI (the White and Red inspired by the color of their flag)
- Portugal: also called OS NAVEGADORES (The Navigators, inspired by their rich history in navigation)
- Qatar: also called The Maroons (in accordance with the colour of their national flag)
- Saudi Arabia | المنتخب السعودي: also called THE GREEN FALCONS (Al-Suqour Al-Khodhur, with Green as the prominent color of their jersey and flag, while Saudi Arabia is also nicknamed as-suqur al-arabiyyah, meaning the Arabian Falcons)
source: FIFA WORLD CUP Facebook Page- Senegal: also called LIONS OF TERANGA (Senegal is known as the country of teranga. Often described as a blend of hospitality, respect, community and solidarity)
- Serbia: also called ORLOVI (The Eagles – the name originated from the white double-headed eagle, the country’s national symbol)
- Spain | Selección Española de Fútbol: also called LA FURIA ROJA (which means The Red Fury)
- South Korea | 대한민국 축구 국가대표팀: also called TAEGEUK WARRIORS (Taeguk represents the origin of everything in the universe, also called The Reds or Red Devils, based on the color of their jersey)
- Switzerland: also called ROSSOCROCIATI (which means Red Cross)
- Tunisia: also called THE CARTHAGE EAGLES (the team’s colors are red and white, and the bald eagle is its symbol – Carthage is a commune in Tunis Governorate, Tunisia)
- Uruguay | Selección Uruguaya: also called LA CELESTE (The Sky Blue)
- USA | U.S. Soccer MNT: also called THE YANKS (the USMNT barely has a nickname at all and sometimes called the Yanks or the Stars and Stripes)
- Wales | Cymru: also called THE DRAGONS (Y Dreigiau inspired by the Dragon in their national flag)
THIS POST is also a tribute to all the fans who are coming to QATAR and to every game. Sometimes, it’s the fans who also give these teams their nicknames and fight along with the players with their loudest cheers.
Should you see any corrections in the post (as we are merely getting it from online references), kindly let us know. We noticed that some teams have more than one nicknames so please let us know which one is more popularly used. Comment down below or email us at bestlifeqatar@gmail.com for your comments and suggestions.
