Dubai: With the biggest and best AFC Asian Cup less than one month away, passionate fans from across the Continent and beyond have confirmed the Team Bus slogans for the 24 participating teams.
After shortlisting the thousands of entries in phase one, each nation was then given a selection of three catchphrases to choose from in the second phase, which ended on November 1, 2018.
The month-long contest, which was launched to give football fans the opportunity to showcase their passion and be a part of the continental showpiece, was a major hit on social media with the second phase receiving over 105,000 votes across the AFC’s digital platforms.
Islamic Republic of Iran led the Continent in engagement numbers, garnering over 25,000 votes, with the winning slogan – Eighty Million People, One Nation, One Heartbeat – securing over 11,000 votes.
“The AFC Asian Cup is the pinnacle of Asian football and we are focused on giving our fans a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The glowing support from our fans across the Continent further underlines the increasing sense of excitement and passion as the tournament draws closer,” said Dato’ Windsor John, General Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation.
“We strive in every competition to improve on the legacy from the last edition and with stronger fan engagement and the world-class football on display, I have no doubts that the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will exceed all our expectations.”
The ultimate winners will now receive an autographed national team jersey and will see their slogans painted on the respective official team buses, which will ferry some of the world’s biggest footballing names between the eight stadiums across the four cities, from January 5 to February 1, 2019.
The final results of the 24 winning team bus slogans are as follows:
Group A
United Arab Emirates:
Our time is now
Thailand:
Changsuek together as one
India:
Blue Tigers: The hope of a nation
Bahrain:
Never say never
Group B
Australia:
Heroes will rise
Syria:
One team. One nation. One Syria
Palestine:
We will triumph. We are Palestine
Jordan:
Make Jordan Proud.
Group C
Korea Republic:
We are the Reds!
China PR:
Fighting for the same dream
Philippines:
To dream the impossible
Kyrgyz Republic:
The White Falcons!
Group D
Islamic Republic of Iran:
Eighty Million People, One Nation, One Heartbeat
Iraq:
Lions always prevail
Vietnam:
Golden Star Warriors
Yemen:
Never give up.
Group E
Saudi Arabia:
From the desert to the throne of the Continent
Qatar:
We & the Nation of Pride are Fine
Lebanon:
The Cedars are coming
DPR Korea:
In the spirit of Chollima
Group F
Japan:
Respect all, fear none
Uzbekistan:
Here we are Uzbekistan
Oman:
4 million hearts, one dream
Turkmenistan:
Green ground, Green team, Green Turkmenistan
Source: the-afc.com