An Argentine pop song has become the unofficial World Cup anthem for Lionel Messi and company.
“Muchachos, ahora nos volvimo’ a ilusionar” – a song by Argentine nine-piece band, La Moscas – has been ringing out in stadiums across Qatar during the tournament and it’s caught fire in the dressing room too.
The band’s signature sound is a heady mix of ska, rock and pop and the title of their hit roughly translates as “Boys, We Have Our Hopes Up Again”.
It has become a rallying cry for the two-time World Cup-winning nation and their 40,000-strong following in Qatar.
According to AFP news agency, Argentina’s embassy in Doha reported that between 35,000 and 40,000 Argentines have travelled to Qatar in the hope of seeing their team lift the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, in what may also be 35-year-old Messi’s last tournament.
Along with South American rivals Brazil and fellow semi-finalists Morocco, Argentina’s fans have helped to create a carnival atmosphere throughout the tournament.
The anthem that has become their rallying cry is actually a re-work of a 2003 song that was originally titled “Muchachos, Esta Noche Me Emborracho” (“Boys, Tonight I’ll Get Drunk”). That version was all about heartbreak. Not so rousing.
However, the band’s lead singer, Guillermo Novellis has explained that a fan called Fernando Romero wrote new lyrics celebrating Argentina’s road to the final of the 2021 Copa America. Novellis and his band then recorded that version and released it before the World Cup.
Credit: bbc.com
