With the World Cup coming to an end this week, we have learned that music is EVERYWHERE. So if you are like me and still don’t truly understand offsides, we can at least learn some history behind the recent celebratory tunes!

Starting strong with England’s “Wonderwall” by Oasis, some small history behind these celebration songs is that FIFA requests that each team submit 3 songs to play at various matches. England submitted “Wonderwall” as well as “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond and “Hey Jude” by The Beatles. It originally gained popularity after a tough match in Dallas where the crowd sang alongside the players following their win.

Moving into the USA, they had submitted “Country Roads” by John Denver to be sung in celebration alongside “Free Bird” By Lynyrd Skynyrd and the well-known “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. “Country Roads” was celebrated in Seattle after a 2-0 victory over Australia.

Going across the ocean again to the World Cup Winners, Spain. They chose to have “Despecha” by Rosalia to play with their victorious goals. It has been described as a summer hit that is perfect for fan celebrations, and it clearly worked to boost spirits in tough games.

France’s goal celebration song comes from one of the greats to come out of their country, Daft Punk. “One More Time” by Daft Punk has accompanied France on their wins up to the Semi-final and has added to the electric atmosphere of their games.

Lastly, Australia. Australia uses a variety of celebration songs, but the most notable is “Down Under” by Men at Work. It is described as a “universally recognized” goal song that accompanies Australia through their victories.

To finish off, there are a few songs that are a part of the “Official Sound” of the World Cup, which have international collaborations specifically made for the World Cup. They include songs by Shakira, Future, and Tyla, as well as a few standout matches featuring live performances by Madonna, Justin Bieber, and Shakira. A few of these artists have chosen to donate their royalties to agencies such as the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which supports soccer opportunities and children’s education.

Music truly does bring us together and is a backbone to the community that can be felt when rooting for the same team, or maybe opposite teams…