A soccer team that sticks to the same color jersey for long enough soon becomes known for that color; it’s a statement of continuity that fans love. Nicknames are born, loyalties and rivalries are born as red hates blue, yellow versus green.
Some clubs and national teams have kept the same color jersey for decades, their identity becoming intertwined with the colors they represent.
We are going to look at seven soccer teams with orange jerseys to find out why they chose that color. What makes a club choose a color? Random chance, local or national history?
Let’s look at 7 soccer teams with orange jerseys to find out.
7. FC Lorient
Ligue 1 club FC Lorient have a history of being a bit of a yo-yo club, with several relegations in their long history, at times even dropping out of the French leagues altogether.
Despite these setbacks, the club has always bounced back, and now they’re back in the big time; the mood at the club is optimistic.
The team nickname, “The dark orange and black,” may not roll off the tongue in English but gives a hint to the club colors that make FC Lorient stand out from the crowd.
Financial restrictions have always plagued the French club; several teams have a great deal more money than the relatively cash-poor Lorient, so the club spent many years focussing on their youth recruitment.
Many future French international players would have FC Lorient to thank for their careers, including Yoann Gourcuff, Laurent Koscielny, and Kevin Gameiro.
After being promoted back to Ligue 1, FC Lorient fans will watch soccer on the biggest stage in France again. With their bright Orange jersey, it’s hoped that they remain there this time.
6. Istanbul Basaksehir FK
One of the news clubs on our list, Istanbul Basaksehir was founded in 1990 and has quickly risen through the ranks to become something of an enigma, especially in European competitions. Despite its relative youth, the club reached the top division of Turkish soccer in 2007 and, by 2019-2020, had won its first Turkish Super Liga.
Entry into European competition was the prize, and the club finally made it into the Champions League group stages. Incredibly, Istanbul Basaksehir beat European giants Manchester United 2-1 in November 2020 to record their first win in the competition.
With a home jersey of bright orange, Istanbul Basaksehir players stand out on the soccer field, and should the club continue to shine domestically, there’s every chance that Istanbul Basaksehir could be strutting their stuff on the international stage in the near future.
5. Blackpool FC
Embed from Getty ImagesBlackpool FC isn’t the only club in the UK to be nicknamed The Tangerines, but they are the oldest, having worn the bright orange color since 1923.
The color was recommended to the club after referee Albert Hargreaves refereed an international game between the Netherlands and Belgium and found the Dutch jersey to be an agreeable color for a soccer jersey.
And so it has proven to be, with Blackpool, a club with a rich history in the English leagues, including an FA Cup win in 1953. Blackpool has played its home games at Bloomfield Park since 1901 and remains a club with a loyal following.
The Tangerine Army fan club made the small stadium feel very atmospheric. During the club’s unexpected promotion to the Premier League in 2010, home games at Bloomfield road were a sea of orange, with the 17,338-seater stadium loud and enthusiastic.
Despite being immediately relegated as expected, the club made the most of their season in the top flight.
4. Ivory Coast National Team
Embed from Getty ImagesWith a nickname like “The Elephants” and a soccer kit comprising an orange jersey, orange shorts, and orange socks, it’s little surprise that the Ivory Coast national team enjoys making a loud entrance.
One of the most exciting and enjoyable teams to watch, the Ivory Coast has won the African Cup of Nations twice and has also played in three World Cup competitions.
With a squad comprised of superb players that often play in some of Europe’s best leagues, the Ivory Coast is probably a little unlucky that their World Cup journeys have usually ended in disappointment.
With great players like Kolo and Yaya Toure, lethal finisher Didier Drogba, and most-capped player Didier Zokora to call upon, the Elephants have had a wealth of talent to call upon.
In their bright orange strip, and with fans of the national team often the most colorful in Africa, the Ivory Coast is always enjoyable to watch.
The nation has a team percussion band that mimics elephants moving through a forest, it sounds odd, but it makes Ivory Coast games incredibly fun.
If you ever have the chance to watch the African Cup of Nations, you’ll spot the Ivory Coast team from a mile away. A great addition to our list, if only for sheer fun value.
3. Houston Dynamo
Founded in 2005, the Houston Dynamo is a member of the Major League Soccer (MLS) and was founded after the San Jose Earthquakes relocated to Houston, Texas, after the 2005 season.
Successful from the very beginning, Houston won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007 and has been a part of the Western Conference since 2015.
After finishing bottom of the conference for two consecutive seasons and missing the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, Dynamo is a team in need of a rebuild.
With the club citing its reason for calling the team the Houston Dynamo as someone who never gives up and never fatigues, the club must find a way of winning again soon.
The official colors of Houston Dynamo are Wildcatter orange, Space City Blue, and Raven Black, with much of the jersey being a bright orange color.
The jersey certainly stands out, and given that club’s nickname is the Orange Crush, it’s unlikely the color of the shirt will be altered any time soon.
2. Dundee United
One of the largest clubs in Scotland, Dundee United, is known as The Tangerines, thanks to their bright orange jersey.
Interestingly, Dundee United only began using orange as their jersey color in 1969, when the Scottish club took part in the NASL International Cup. NSAL teams were represented in this competition by clubs imported from the UK.
Dundee United agreed to participate in the competition, playing as Dallas Tornado and wearing the bright orange jersey that Dallas Tornado favored. After the tournament, the wife of the then manager, Jerry Kerr, convinced her husband to change the jersey of Dundee United to bright Orange. The club agreed, feeling that the brighter color would reinvigorate the club, giving it a more modern look.
And so the Tangerines were born, and the club has used an orange jersey and black shorts ever since. Dundee United last won the title in 1983 and has suffered relegations and promotions on a regular basis ever since. But, while the club remains true to their optimistic jersey, they’re always in with a chance.
1. Netherlands National Team
In the perfect example of a jersey having historical connections, the jersey of the Netherlands national soccer team is bright orange in a tip of the hat to the Dutch Royal family.
The House of Oranje-Nassau, and the Prince of Orange, have historically used Orange as the national color of the Netherlands, and the national team began using the color in 1907.
Historically, Holland has always had a superb soccer team, with some of the greatest players ever to play the game hailing from the Netherlands.
Johan Cruyff, one of the most iconic players in history, was also one of the most influential managers. The Ajax stadium in Amsterdam, where many Holland games are played, is named after him.
With a team nickname like “the Oranje” and with a fan club called “The Orange Legion,” what other color could the Netherlands possibly use for their jersey? Soccer fans worldwide can easily identify the Dutch jersey, a kit that has become synonymous with superb soccer.
