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Every four years football aficionados gear up for football's show-stopping event. A tournament that unites people from every country, race and culture.
The World Cup Finals, (as the tournament is known) is the most prestigious football tournament in the world, in addition to being the most viewed, surpassing even the Olympics! Starting in 1930, the showpiece event has been held every four years, except in 1942 and 1946, owing to war.
The total viewership of the 2006 final was estimated at a mammoth 715 million, a ninth of the Earth's population! 32 teams will arrive in Russia this June to battle out for the coveted Jules Rimet trophy.
Every World Cup, FIFA collaborates with an international artist to release the official song. These songs serve as a prelude to the tournament. Not only does the song boost advertising by FIFA sponsors, they also allow the singer to reach out to a massive audience.
The songs are predominantly English, while at times including local cultures and languages, Spanish being the most notable. Often, cover versions are released in the native language. In recent years, mainstream stars like Shakira and Ricky Martin have released sensational tunes that have been hits for years.
While Nicky Jam has released this year's "Live it Up", we look at some of the legendary anthems to grace the World Cup, starting from 1962.
#4 Wavin' Flag by K'NAAN
Wavin' Flag was not an official song rather, it was used by Coca-Cola in its promotional campaign. Somalian-Canadian singer K'NAAN wrote this song about his personal experiences, hoping for freedom in a war-torn country.
Co-produced by pop star Bruno Mars, this song was a major hit, with K'NAAN's African connect and down-to-earth personality clicking.
While the original single was dedicated to Somalian refugees, the Coca-Cola was tuned to add a football-ish and celebratory tone to it.
The song remains one of the most popular Cup songs to date.
#3 El Rock del Mundial by Los Ramblers
Los Ramblers were a Chilean rock group that created El Rock del Mundial (world rock) what is regarded as the first official World Cup anthem.
The rock-n-roll song was created in support of the Chilean team, host of the 1962 edition. The song became the most sold single in Chilean history, achieving cult status.
The success of this song gave birth to the traditional World Cup anthem, with different styles, integrating cultures.
#2 Waka-Waka by Shakira
The 2010 anthem was by Colombian singer Shakira and featured African fusion band Freshlyground.
The song disappointed a large number of South Africans who expected a local artist to be selected by FIFA.
The song lyrics describe the beautiful game as a battle with soldiers. The song featured traditional African music including an African guitar. The music video features several star players, including Sergio Aguero and Cristiano Ronaldo.
While the South Africans were unhappy, the song was a worldwide hit, with 1.8 billion views on Youtube. Over one million sales in the first two months secured its place as the fastest selling World Cup single of the digital age.
It also proved to be a lucky charm, with Shakira's beau Gerard Pique going on to lift the World Cup!
#1 Cup of Life by Ricky Martin
The Cup of Life was created for the 1998 World Cup. Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin was chosen by FIFA this time, and Martin did not disappoint.
The Cup of Life is unarguably the best World Cup anthem to date with a rousing chorus and Latin moves.
The song has been certified four platinum and four gold certificate, while it's 1998 final performance was viewed by over a billion people in 187 countries!
