Dairy Cows vs Samba: Strange Thai nicknames for World Cup teams

The creative nicknames that Thais give to national football teams might sound weird to foreigners.

Golden Thread, Dairy Cows, Ruthless, and Roaring Lions are just some of the names Thais have been calling national teams for decades.

Nicknames, not only for football teams but also people, were introduced mostly for newspapers where headline space is limited.

The language used in newsprint is different from standard Thai due to space and time limitations, so Thai journalists have to come up with interesting, eye-catching, and to-the-point nicknames to attract readers.

Here are a few interesting examples of Thai nicknames for national football teams;

Portugal: Foi Thong

Foi Thong (literally: golden thread) is the name of a Thai dessert with origins in Portugal.

A noblewoman named Thao Thong Kip Ma (Maria Guyomar de Pina) introduced the egg yolk-based sweet treats to King Narai’s court during the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351-1767) – earning herself the nickname “Queen of Thai Desserts”.

England: Roaring Lions

The internationally recognised nickname for England's national football team is The Three Lions. But this was stylised in Thai to “Roaring Lions” to create an emotional response in readers.

Brazil: Samba

Samba is an international icon of Brazil, made famous by the Rio de Janeiro carnival as well as ballroom dancers around the world.

Thai people are familiar with Samba dancing thanks to TV coverage of Brazil’s carnival season – and also goal celebrations.

The internationally recognised name for the Brazil team is “Seleção”, which means “selection”. But Samba better evokes the rhythm and panache of the most successful World Cup team, with five titles.

Uruguay: Ruthless

Uruguay’s nickname is inspired by their fierce playing style, which can spill over into violence. Silky skills combined with cutthroat tackling have earned the South American team two World Cup titles. However, their international nickname is La Celeste or Sky Blues, the colour of their team strip.

Argentina: The Sky Blue and White

Thai reporters and fans take their nickname for the Argentina team from its flag and home shirt. The Thai nickname is also a direct translation of La Albiceleste – Argentina’s globally recognised nickname.

Denmark: Dairy Cows

The actual nickname for the Danish team is De Rød-Hvide or the Red and Whites, from its flag and home jersey.

However, the Thai nickname came from the collaboration between Denmark and the Dairy Farming Promotion Organisation of Thailand. The company manufactures Thai-Denmark dairy products with the familiar cow logo that are available in supermarkets across the country.

There are plenty of other Thai nicknames for teams, inspired by their national icons.

They include: