Before the last World Cup I wrote something about national football teams and nicknames, the most obvious being Team Melli (Iran) and the Socceroos (Australia).
Today I was on the Japanese federation's website, looking for interesting stories about one of the Russia 2018 finalists. I didn't get beyond finding out the Japan's men's team is known as the Samurai Blue. Excuse my ignorance if I didn't know this, but am I ignorant for not knowing this?
So I felt the need to check what the Socceroos are now known as. I was not disappointed: the Caltex Socceroos may be in Russia. Is this the first national team that has sold naming rights to a sponsor? Caltex are a petroleum company.
Fifa don't allow branding on national team shirts, so if the Caltex Socceroos do make it to the Adidas Wanda Gazprom Coca Cola Kia/Hyundai Qatar Airways Visa Fifa World Cup in Russia, they may not be able to get the name out much. The Caltex Socceroos might be out in the first round after the Caltex Socceroos play three matches listed as the Caltex Socceroos versus opponent x,y and z. But the Caltex Socceroos might make it to the last 16. Then who knows how far the Caltex Socceroos will make it? And who will know if we are still taking about football?
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