NETHERLANDS: "CLOCKWORK ORANGE"

荷蘭：橙衣軍團（發條橙）

The Dutch squads of the 1970s became known for their knack for precision passing, winning them a nickname for their brand of Total Football, a pastiche on the country's famous national color.

20世紀70年代的荷蘭軍團以精準的傳球著稱，為他們標志性的全攻全守足球戰術博得了這樣一個綽號，這個綽號是對荷蘭國家足球隊球衣顏色的體現。

 

AUSTRALIA: "SOCCEROOS"

澳大利亞：袋鼠軍團

Journalist Tony Horstead coined the portmanteau of a nickname in 1967 while covering the team's goodwill tour to South Vietnam, borrowing the back end of the name from one of Australia's best-known inhabitants.

一位名叫Tony Horstead的記者在1967年報道澳大利亞足球隊對越南南部的友好訪問期間首創了這樣一個合成詞，將soccer（足球）一詞與澳大利亞最知名的動物kangroo（袋鼠）一詞組合而成。

 

COLOMBIA: "LOS CAFETEROS" ("THE COFFEE GROWERS")

哥倫比亞：咖啡種植戶

 

The Colombians' moniker riffs on one of the nation's largest exports.

哥倫比亞隊的綽號反應了該國最大的出口產品。

 

GREECE: "PIRATIKO" ("THE PIRATE SHIP")

希臘：海盜船

Though an unlikely pairing at first glance, Greek sportscasters spawned the name during a telecast of an upset victory against Portugal in the Euro 2004 tournament. The tournament's opening ceremony, hosted by Greece, flaunted a pirate ship. Inspired, Greek color commentator Georgios Halakis said the team had to "become pirates and steal the victory."

雖然第一眼看上去，這個綽號和希臘國家隊并不相配，不過，這個綽號是希臘體育轉播員在轉播2004年歐洲杯對陣葡萄牙的比賽時首次使用的。那場比賽中，希臘意外獲勝。2004年歐洲杯開幕式在希臘舉辦，開幕式展示了一艘海盜船。希臘評論員受此啟發，稱希臘隊要“變身海盜，奪取勝利”。