After weeks of competition in one of the world’s biggest sporting events, the FIFA World Cup, we now have four semi-finalists… and they are all from Europe! Music and the World Cup go hand-in-hand. The official Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup song Colors, performed by Jason Derulo, has hit charts all over the world. Eurovision’s own Ira Losco has even released a special version of the track with Jason. So which Eurovision songs can be the World Cup anthems for our four semi-finalists?
🇧🇪 BELGIUM: Laura Tesoro – What’s The Pressure 🇧🇪
And I will try to stand my ground
Won’t be bound
And bring out the best in me
In 2016, Laura Tesoro’s What’s The Pressure told us how we should stop pressurising ourselves, knowing that everything will work out for the best in the end. It’s the perfect motto for the Belgian national football team who will take part in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals for only the second time in their history. The first time Belgium got this far was in 1986… just weeks after Sandra Kim took Eurovision victory for the country with J’aime la vie!
🇭🇷 CROATIA: Daria – Celebrate 🇭🇷
Celebrate
Every single step you take
Stop the world for a moment
Okay, choosing a Eurovision-related World Cup anthem for Croatia was more difficult. But there’s no doubt Croatia are celebrating their narrow win over host nation Russia in their quarter-final match tonight. Unfortunately, Daria wasn’t able to celebrate qualifying for the grand final in 2011, but the world certainly will stop for a moment when the World Cup final takes place next week. Will it be Croatia celebrating winning that famous trophy?
🏴 ENGLAND: Asanda – Legends 🏴
You and me, we’re making that history
And now the whole world can see
That we be legends tonight, legends tonight
We’ve dug a bit deeper for England’s Eurovision World Cup anthem. Once you delve into the lyrics for Asanda’s Legends, an entry in this year’s Eurovision: You Decide, you can’t help but wonder if this song was made to be a World Cup anthem! References to making history, on a world stage and becoming legends… something the English football team certainly will become if they can take their second World Cup victory. There’s even a football reference in Legends: “kill the game ’cause we got the ball, yeah!”
🇫🇷 FRANCE: Jessy Matador – Allez Ola Olé 🇫🇷
Allez allez allez, allez ola olé
Allez allez allez, c’est le son de l’année
Well, this one was an easy choice. Aside from being France’s entry for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, Jessy Matador’s Allez Ola Olé was used by France Télévisions to promote the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup! Nevertheless, it was a World Cup to forget for France as they finished bottom of their group despite finishing as runners-up four years earlier.
Have you been watching this year’s FIFA World Cup unfold? Who are you supporting for the win? Let us know in the comments below!
