Given that the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is only days away, I thought it would be appropriate to write about what I consider to be the best World Cup theme song of all time. Just in case you didn’t know, I’m also a massive football fan and when the World Cup comes along every 4 years, there’s nothing on my mind except following each team and watching each game. The Cup Of Life by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin was the theme song of the 1998 World Cup which took place in France and was won by the host nation.
That World Cup was particularly special for me because it was the first time I’d watched a significant amount of World Cup games and followed the tournament closely. I was 11 at the time and the 1 thing that always reminds me of that tournament is The Cup Of Life. It’s also such a catchy and fun song to sing and dance to. It captures the spirit of football perfectly. The game of football and its dynamics and drama is so much like life itself, which probably explains why it’s the most popular sport in the world. It also explains why the World Cup is the Cup of Life.
The song is so good that the theme songs from the 2002 and 2006 World Cups have failed to overcome The Cup Of Life in terms of quality and popularity. The theme song for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa is not too bad, however, when compared to Ricky Martin’s song, it pales in comparison.
There should be a worldwide petition launched to make The Cup Of Life the official theme song for every World Cup. It would certainly save songwriters and singers the embarrassment of not being able to live up to the standard of the 1998 theme song.
This is perhaps not a 90s classic song for many people out there, however, for football fans everywhere, this is a song that will stand the test of time. Even if you’re not a football fan, you should catch some of the upcoming World Cup, even if you just watch the final on July 11. It is the biggest sporting event in the world and it should not be missed.
If you want a comprehensive preview of all the teams and groups, then you should watch my World Cup Preview which I made with a good friend of mine.
In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of The Cup Of Life.
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I agree, none of the songs are good as Ricky Martin’s Cup of life, every time I hear this song I feel like I want to go play…!