Whilst many soccer teams inevitably take their name from their location, and nicknames from local culture, others are inspired by something a little more classic. So, let’s take a look at some of the soccer teams around the world that get their names or nicknames from Greek mythology.
Exeter City FC (League One)
Greek mythology is a popular theme for different forms of entertainment in the UK, even to this day. As technology has transformed entertainment, Greek mythology remains one of the most popular themes for things like online casino games such as the Age of Gods slots franchise. These games use digital graphics and characters such as Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Hercules, and Hades to create an interactive virtual slot experience. The modern play on historical tradition makes for immersive and authentic gameplay.
Before this technology, however, entertainment based on Greek mythology took a different form: historical reenactments. And Devon Live speculates that that Exeter City FC got their nickname as the Grecians from one of these reenactments. In 1726, the battle of Troy was reenacted at a fair in the Southernhay area — the Trojans were represented by those who lived within the old city walls, and the Greeks by those who lived outside the boundary. This meant that people in the St Sidwell area — the original name for the club being St Sidwell’s United before changing to Exeter City FC in 1901 — identified as Grecian, with an old soccer ground featuring a Grecian Gate. Whilst the origins of the nickname are subject to much debate, their mysterious Greek honorific lives on.
AFC Ajax (Eredivisie)
Despite soccer traditionally evolving as a sport for the working class throughout Europe, in the Netherlands it was a pastime that was more commonly played by the middle and upper classes. As clubs were formed by this richer echelon, the names were selected to reflect their formal, classic education. With this in mind, you’ll find that many of the clubs in the Netherlands are named after characters from Greek mythology.
Perhaps one of the most notorious of these clubs is the Amsterdam-based AFC Ajax, who coined the nickname de Godenzonen, or Sons of the Gods. Ajax himself was the son of a King and the cousin of Achilles, appearing as a courageous hero in both the Epic Cycle and the Iliad. Throughout mythology, he is depicted as determined, commanding, and unyielding, his unwavering strength making his character the perfect inspiration for the players on the team.
Atalanta BC (Serie A)
Source: Pixabay
Founded in 1907, Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio was the brainchild of soccer enthusiasts and students at the Liceo Classico Paolo Sarpi – one of Italy’s most prominent schools for studying classics. Due to their studies in Greek mythology, the club was named after the heroine Atalanta, and thus gained the nickname La Dea, or The Goddess.
The club, based in the Lombardy region, is named after the infamous female athlete who was known for her skills and speed in racing, hunting, and wrestling — so much so that no man could ever beat her. Their sigil depicts a simplified representation of the character, with her hair catching the wind as she reaches impressive speeds.
And there you have it — just a few clubs around the world that were inspired by Greek mythology to break the mould on naming conventions.
