The official World Cup songs: from «Waka Waka» to the anthems that defined an era
«Waka Waka», «The Cup of Life» or «Un'estate italiana»: the World Cup soundtrack is also part of its collective memory.
The World Cup is not only remembered for its goals: it is remembered for its music too. For decades, each edition has had an official song that accompanies the tournament and, in time, becomes forever tied to a particular summer.
The most successful case is «Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)», which Shakira performed for South Africa 2010. With its catchy rhythm and crowd-filled video, it became the best-selling World Cup song in history and a global anthem that transcended football.
There had been other memorable tracks before. At Italia 1990, «Un'estate italiana», by Gianna Nannini and Edoardo Bennato, captured the melancholy of that tournament, while «Nessun Dorma» sung by Luciano Pavarotti became forever linked to the Italian event.
At France 1998, Ricky Martin took «The Cup of Life» to charts across the planet, and at Brazil 2014 it was Pitbull, alongside Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte, who set the beat with «We Are One (Ole Ola)». Every World Cup has sought its own anthem.
Beyond the official songs, there are sounds that are also part of the World Cup memory, like the buzz of the vuvuzelas at South Africa 2010. The tournament's soundtrack is, in its own way, another way of telling its story.
Source: Wikipedia (FIFA World Cup official songs; Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)).