National team nicknames are always appealing no matter where in the world they are from: Those nicknames often reflect deep roots and important aspects of culture, social context or history the country of the people who live there.
The African Union is home to some of the most intriguing, unique and exciting national team monikers in the world. Here’s a quick reference guide to every participant’s nicknames, followed by a breakdown of the unique nicknames you can see deep down in the tournament.
AFCON 2022 national team nicknames by country
Here are the common nicknames of each of the 24 participants in the Africa Cup of Nations taking place from January 9 to February 6 in Cameroon.
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| nation | Nickname |
|---|---|
| Algeria | Les Fennecs (The Foxes) Fennec fox Fighter of the Desert Desert fox |
| Burkina Faso | Les Etalons (The Stallions) |
| Cameroon | Indomitable lion |
| Cape Verde | Tubaroes Azuis (Blue Shark) |
| Comoros | Les Coelecantes (The Coelacanths) |
| Egypt | The Pharaohs |
| Equatorial Guinea | Nzalang Nacional (National Lightning) |
| Ethiopia | Walias |
| Gabon | Les Pantheres (The Leopards) |
| Gambia | Scorpion |
| Ghana | Black stars |
| Guinea | Syli Nationale (National Elephant) |
| Guinea-Bissau | Djurtus |
| Ivory Coast | Elephants |
| Malawi | Fire |
| Mali | Les Aigles (Eagles) |
| Mauritania | Al-Murabitun / Almoravids (The Lion of Chinguetti) |
| Morocco | Lions de l’Atlas (Atlas of Lions) |
| Nigeria | Super Eagle |
| Senegal | The Lion of Teranga |
| Sierra Leone | Leone Stars |
| Sudan | Jediane’s Falcon |
| Tunisia | Eagles of Carthage |
| Zimbabwe | The Warriors |
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Cameroon: Indomitable Lions
This year’s host country, Cameroon, will be hoping to regain some of its former glory. The recognizable nickname was born from a wide range of brands. Originally known only as the Lion – a nod to the regal animal that lives mainly in the semi-arid northern regions of the country – president Ahmadou Ahidjo tweaked things a bit in 1972. He changed things. renamed “Indomitable Lions” in the hope of giving the team a slightly more recognizable and impressive status. “Indomitable” by definition means “invincible or defeated.”
Cameroon was the pride of Africa through the 80s and 90s, featuring the 1982 World Cup (three impressive draws in the group stage) and the 1990 World Cup (reaching the quarterfinals), along with victories at the World Cup. African Nations in 1988, 2000, and 2002. However, things turned flat for Cameroon later this year, with corruption and strife affecting the domestic league and the national team. for more than a decade.
Senegal: The Lion of Teranga
The nickname of the Senegalese has been associated with the history of the country. “Teranga” is a word in the Lingua Franca, or “link language”, called Wolof. According to NYC-based Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam as quoted by BBC in 2020, while the official translation of “teranga” is “hospitality,” that definition is “a loose translation. It’s actually a lot more complicated than that. It’s a way of life.”
So the name is a nod to the country’s heritage. Lions are native to Senegal, although their numbers – as in Cameroon – have dwindled significantly. The last known remaining lion population is located in Niokolo-Koba National Park on the banks of the Gambia River.
Algeria: Fennec Fox
While other countries like Cameroon have adopted more intimidating and imposing monikers, Algeria has embraced a cuter and hairier part of its national heritage. The fennec fox, a subspecies of fox native to the Sahara Desert, is the national animal of Algeria and thus has earned the perfect moniker. It even appears on the 2010 jersey below.
The fennec fox is known for its huge ears. These have the effect of dissipating heat and helping the fox survive in the arid climate in which it lives. Expect to hear this name often during the month of the tournament with Algeria being the defending champion and one of the favorites.
Tunisia: The Carthaginian Eagle
Like Cameroon, Tunisia has taken a famous animal and added some flair. Carthage was the coastal capital city of the Carthaginian civilization, a flourishing ancient civilization that resided in present-day Tunisia. The famous city was destroyed and destroyed by the Roman Empire, leaving ruins that can still be visited today.
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The eagle reference evokes power, regal and superiority. Two other countries, Mali and Nigeria, also have eagle-related nicknames, but none are directly related to the country’s past, giving Tunisia’s moniker a unique distinction.
Egypt: The Pharaohs
While other nicknames need some research to discern their history and meanings, this one is simple. Egypt’s team, known for its Great Pyramids, are known as the Pharaohs, a nod to the country’s ancient kings.
The pharaohs were considered messengers from the gods and thus had divine authority to lead the people. As one of the most highly regarded African confederations – the continent’s first representative at the World Cup in 1934 and the winner of the most AFCON tournaments – they have also won the title of monarchs. in African football.
Comoros: Coelacanths
First is the country: Comoros is a small island nation located between the African continent and Madagascar. Listed with a population of just over 850,000 in 2019, the nation consists of three main volcanic islands that, when put together, are roughly the size of Hawaii’s Maui. This country shocked the African region when it qualified for the tournament when it finished second in Group G, only 3 points behind Egypt and 2 points ahead of Kenya. This will be Comoros’ first AFCON tournament.
Now, to the nickname. Pronounced “SEEL-uh-kanth,” this behemoth has a fascinating – and long – history. According to scientific classification, Coelacanths are more closely related to amphibians and birds than to ray-finned fish. The 6-foot, 200-pound fish was thought to have gone extinct 66 million years ago, until one was rediscovered off the coast of South Africa. They are estimated to live about 100 years and live in the waters around the Comoros islands, swimming about 2,300 feet below the surface.
Equatorial Guinea: Nzalang Nacional
While we have translated other national nicknames from the local language, this nickname has been left to its native language, Fang, a Central African dialect spoken mainly in Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and southern Cameroon. While most English versions of the name translate as “The National Thunder”, it actually seems to translate better to “The National Lightning”.
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The name is a reference to the ferocious storms experienced during the rainy season, which, despite the small nature of the Massachusetts-sized country, is completely reversed depending on your location. If you’re on land, the rainy season is more traditional from March to May and/or September to November depending on the year. However, on Bioko Island, which is off the coast of Cameroon but officially part of Equatorial Guinea, the rainy season is reversed, with rainfall concentrated mainly from November to March.
Ethiopia: Walias
A historic African federation, Ethiopia was one of three African nations to compete in the first AFCON tournament in 1957 and won the 1962 tournament as the host. However, since 1970, the country has only qualified for three editions of the competition, so these are exciting times for Ethiopia.
Interestingly, of the 31 Ethiopian endemic species known to the East African nation, the federation chose Walia Ibex to represent its team, instead of the more famous – and more feared – Ethiopian Wolf. The Ibex is an endangered species of wild goat, with an estimated 500 Walias remaining in the mountains of Ethiopia. However, the choice of mascot helped the nation get funded with Walia beer.
Malawi: Flame
This nickname may sound boring, like your typical high school mascot, but it actually evokes a bit of national pride. The country itself is made up largely by Lake Malawi. The word “Malawi” is derived from the Bantu dialect known as Chewa, where the word “Maravi” means “fire”. The lake, and according to the representative of the country, is so named because of the shimmering effect the lake produces when hit by the sun.
Lake Malawi, sometimes called Lake Calendar because it is 365 miles long and 52 miles wide, represents almost a quarter of the entire landlocked country, so its history is important to the culture. of the country.
Guinea-Bissau: Djurtus
Oh great, another animal we’ve never heard of. Don’t worry, this one is much cuter than a giant fish, though also much more dangerous.
Guinea-Bissau – not to be confused with Guinea – is a tiny country on the west coast of Africa roughly the size of Maryland. It is home to the African wild dog, also known as the Djurtus in the local Creole dialect of Portugal. It is closely related to the Dhole, another endangered wild dog that lives in Asia. Unfortunately, the Djurtu is thought to be extinct in Guinea-Bissau, with the few remaining animals scattered around the eastern part of the continent, but this ferocious beast still exhibits a remarkable presence. fear, while the name itself is a local dialect.
