Giang | 21 May 2021

Everything About the UEFA Champions League Anthem 

The UEFA Champions League anthem is also known as the name “Champions League”. It is played before every UEFA Champions League match and is one of the most famous anthems in the football world. 

The author

The lyrics of the UEFA Champions League anthem are written by Tony Britten, a British composer. Britten graduated from the Royal College of Music, one of the world’s great conservatoires, training gifted musicians from all over the world for international careers as performers, conductors, and composers.

Image Source: Eastern Daily Press

Who was the first to sing the Champions League song?

For the recording used in television transmissions of UEFA Champions League matches and events, the original version was performed by London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus. 

In 2009,  Andrea Bocelli (Italian operatic tenor) performed on the pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League final at the Stadio Olimpico. It was also the first time in which a “Champions League” song had been performed. 

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The Lyrics

The complete anthem lasts about three minutes, with two short verses and a chorus. The lyrics are in UEFA’s three official languages: English, French, and German.

Chorus English version: 

They are the best teams

The main event

The master

The best

The great teams

The champions

A big meeting

A great sporting event

The main event

 

The master

The best

The great teams

The champions

Image Source: Youtube Andrea Scalia – Early Music

What does the UEFA Champions League anthem mean to players?

Lionel Messi told UEFA.com it is a special song for him, explaining: “It’s actually pretty nice when you walk out onto the pitch and you listen to it. You then know it’s a different match. It reminds you how special and important this competition is.”

Young star forward Erling Haaland used the anthem as his morning alarm clock, explaining: “I wake up to it every day – it’s the last song I’m tired of. I always get a perfect start to the day.” 

“Magic… it’s magic above all else. When you hear the anthem, it captivates you straight away. You just want to see what is going to happen” – Zinedine Zidane. In a funny kind of way, PSG forward Kylian Mbappé posted a video of him grabbing a tiramisu out of his fridge while listening to the song.

Image Source: Soofootball.com