The recent practice of adorning each team bus at major football tournaments with a unique slogan is a pretty awful one, nobody disputes that, but Australia's Socceroos will travel with possibly the most condescending and derivative of them all.
Socceroos: Hopping Our Way Into History
Surprisingly, the slogan was decided by a fan poll. Previous Aussie world Cup buses had the more tolerable mottoes 'Australia’s Socceroos Bound For Glory' (2006) and 'Dare To Dream, Advance Australia' (2010).
Quite preditably, Twitter went insane over the whole mess.
"SOCCEROOS: HOPPING OUR WAY INTO HISTORY!", what idiot came up with that for the bus slogan? #socceroos #worldcup
— Neil Sherwin (@neilsherwin) May 13, 2014
Why must we keep embarrassing ourselves on a global stage, Hopping our way into history.. Really @Socceroos?? #Brasil2014
— Andrew French (@Frenchyy91) May 13, 2014
Team Bus slogan for world cup. Socceroos: Hopping our way into history!” wow someone went all out to come up with that
— Paul Drabble (@DrabblePaul) May 13, 2014
C'mon Australia, we an do better than that #shame “@theage: Fans hopping mad about Socceroos' slogan http://t.co/ueerOQ3tGr via @theage”
— Meg S (@meganlee_s) May 13, 2014
Further proof the public can't be trusted when it comes to web polls: World Cup team bus slogans http://t.co/AhdpHF5yee
— Hamish Neal (@hamishneal) May 13, 2014
A competition to have your slogan on @Socceroos team bus for #WorldCup. My entry. #Brazil2014 pic.twitter.com/ZxkBbH2RmO
— Declan Rooney (@DeclanRooney) February 16, 2014
The whole issue raises the moot but nonetheless interesting question of what Ireland's slogan would have been had we somehow booked a place in Brazil. My money would have been on 'Not For Use On Pitch' or 'The Most Expensive Pissup Of Your Life'.
For the record, the Irish team bus during Euro 2012 was emblazoned with the resolutely shit "Talk with your feet. Play with your heart."
Of course, Australia's isn't the only awful effort. You might as well have a gander at all the crap slogans while we're on the subject. Special mention for the tear-jerkingly inspiring "Go Chile" and England's "The Dream Of One Team, The Heartbeat Of Millions!!" noteworthy because of its double exclamation mark, which should be punishable by death.
Do let us know your suggestions for future Irish transports.
Algeria: Desert Warriors In Brazil
Argentina: Not just a team, we are a country
Australia: Socceroos: Hopping Our Way Into History!
Belgium: Expect The Impossible!
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Dragons In Heart, Dragons On The Field!
Brazil: Brace Yourselves! The 6th Is Coming!
Cameroon: A lion remains a Lion
Chile: Go Chile
Colombia: Here travels a nation, not just a team!
Costa Rica: My passion is football, my strength is my people, my pride is Costa Rica.
Côte d'Ivoire: Elephants charging towards Brazil!
Croatia: With Fire In Our Hearts, For Croatia All As One!
Ecuador: One Commitment, One Passion, Only One Heart, This Is For You Ecuador!
England: The Dream Of One Team, The Heartbeat Of Millions!!
France: Impossible Is Not A French Word
Germany: One Nation, One Team, One Dream!
Ghana: Black Stars: Here To Illuminate Brazil
Greece: 'Heroes Play Like Greeks'
Honduras: We are one country, one nation, five stars on the heart
Iran: Honour Of Persia
Italy: Let’s paint the FIFA World Cup dream blue
Japan: Samurai, The Time Has Come To Fight!
Korea Republic: Enjoy it, Reds!
Mexico: Always united, Always aztecas
Netherlands: Real Men Wear Orange
Nigeria: Only Together We Can Win
Portugal: The past is history. The future is victory.
Russia: No one can catch us
Spain: Inside our hearts, the passion of a champion
Switzerland: End Station: 13.07.2014 Maracana! Final Stop: 07-13-14 Maracana!
Uruguay: Three million dreams … Let’s go Uruguay
USA: United By Team, Driven By Passion
H/T: Mark Geary
