Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterJul 28, 2023, 03:00 AM ET
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• Joined ESPN in 2011
• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours
• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018
Gala’s “Freed from Desire” is the most popular choice of goal music chosen at the Women’s World Cup, with three of the 32 teams at the tournament selecting the ’90s club classic.
Before the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand kicked off on July 20, each national team submitted to FIFA up to two songs to be played over the stadium PA whenever they score.
None of them chose the official song of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, “Do It Again” by BENEE featuring Mallrat, but that would have been a wasted choice as it is played before every match anyway.
Taylor Swift was one of the many famous faces who starred in the United States national team’s squad reveal video, and the pop superstar’s presence continues to be felt at the tournament; her 2017 song “… Ready For It?” was picked as the USWNT’s goal music of choice.
England went for a dance-music double with their choices, selecting Darude’s “Sandstorm” and Chase & Status’ “Alive.” The European champions were one of only two nations to submit two songs, but they have only got to hear one of them so far, having only won their first match of the tournament 1-0.
On the other hand, Germany have had Zombie Nation’s “Kernkraft 400” played six times already after they stormed to a comprehensive 6-0 win over Morocco.
Australia have turned to a harder floor-filler with the 2018 track “Losing It” by FISHER but their co-hosts New Zealand are one of the three nations – along with France and Switzerland -- who have chosen Gala’s 1996 Eurodance anthem. The track, written and performed by Gala Rizzatto and produced by Maurizio Molella and Phil Jay, was also the most popular choice among the teams at the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.
The song was given a new lease of life when Northern Ireland fans brought their reworked version “Will Grigg’s On Fire” to the men’s European Championship in France in 2016. More than a quarter of a century later, the song still has dance floors packed and stadiums crowds jumping.
-Women’s World Cup: Landing page | Schedule | Rosters | News
-Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
FULL PLAYLIST OF FIFA WORLD CUP GOAL MUSIC
Argentina
Yerba Brava: “La Cumbia De Los Trapos”
Australia
FISHER: “Losing It”
Brazil
Machadez, Mousik, and Os Quebradeiras: “Pagodão do Birimbola”
Canada
Paper Kings: “Fire On Up”
China
Jike Junyi: “即刻出发” (“Let’s Go”)
Colombia
Jorge Celedon, Jimmy Zambrano: “Nuestra Fiesta”
Costa Rica
Los Ajenos: “Olé Olé”
Denmark
Lidt Til Lægterne, Kvindelandsholdet: “VI(K)vinderEM”
England
Chase & Status ft. Jacob Banks: “Alive”
Darude: “Sandstorm”
France
Gala: “Freed From Desire”
Germany
Zombie Nation: “Kernkraft 400”
Haiti
Barikad Crew: “Toup Pou Yo”
Italy
Negramaro: “Un Amore Così Grande”
Jamaica
Govana: “Champ”
Japan
Ukasuka-G: “Shouri No Emi Wo Kimi”
Morocco
Douzi: “Ana Maghrabi”
Netherlands
Parla & Pardoux: “Liberté”
New Zealand
Gala: “Freed From Desire”
Nigeria
Ayra Star: “Sability”
Norway
Ugbad Musti: “Vi Vinner”
Panama
DJ Habias, DJ Nax: “Brasil”
Philippines
Bamboo: “Noypi”
Portugal
Mariza: “Melhor de mim”
Republic of Ireland
Kungs, Cookin’ on 3 Burners: “This Girl”
South Africa
Tyler ICU & Tumelo.za: “Mnike”
South Korea
TransFixion: “승리를 _위하여” (“To Victory”)
Spain
Farga: “Está por venir”
Raphael: “Mi gran noche”
Sweden
Miss Li: “Våran sång”
Switzerland
Gala: “Freed From Desire”
United States
Taylor Swift: “…Ready For It?”
Vietnam
Minh Beta: “Việt Nam ơi”
Zambia
Orga Kent: “Copper Queens Zambia”
