Football and chanting go hand in hand – but why are England’s anthems so much catchier than the rest of the world’s?
With the World Cup now underway, scientists have analysed football chants sung around the globe to uncover what makes England’s stand out.
According to Nicolai Jørgensgaard Graakjær, a professor at Aalborg University in Denmark, England’s chants tend to feature well–known melodies from popular music.
These tunes are given new lyrics and are sung in short, intense bursts, making it easy for the crowd to catch on.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Professor Jørgensgaard Graakjær said: ‘One might argue that the prominence of British humour and self–irony has fostered a culture of spontaneity and creativity in chant composition, contributing to the richness and adaptability of the English chanting repertoire.’
The news will come as no surprise to England fans, who often take to social media to mock the songs from other countries.
‘The US uses one or two chants that sound like they were organised for middle school sports day,’ one user joked on TikTok.
‘England chants are just a bunch of grown adults eagerly screaming about the most random inappropriate s*** and having a blast with it.’
Comment if you want us to do more chants for the World Cup!TikTok • Bludbrothers🩸
Singing at club matches is often about showing the opponent that the club and its fan base are strong, according to the researchers.
However, singing at international matches serves a ‘different purpose’.
‘The national identity is one large, overarching category of identity, whereas club identity is more local and typically tied to frequent, regularly recurring matches against specific opponents – including local rivals – who are “sung against”,’ Professor Jørgensgaard Graakjær said.
For the study, the researchers set out to map the types of music and songs played and sung in countries including England, Germany, Spain, and Denmark.
Their analysis of England’s football chants shows that they’re largely characterised by spontaneous communal singing.
Professor Jørgensgaard Graakjær explained: ‘The highly localized nature of English football has created fertile conditions for chant innovation.
‘Put simply, the closer the opponent, the fiercer the rivalry.
‘Generations of local and regional rivalries have provided supporters with a constant source of material for new chants, jokes, and musical adaptations.’
Songs often heard during England matches include adapted versions of ‘Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In’, and ‘Guantanamera’, with new lyrics.
More recently, a version of Gala’s ‘Freed From Desire’ became the go–to song used after a goal.
‘The sound is organic and changeable – and may shift several times during a single match,’ Professor Jørgensgaard Graakjær said.
In contrast, Germany’s anthems are much more organised and sustained, according to the experts.
Drums tend to play a major role, and fans often sing the same songs for longer periods, led by chant leaders.
‘The result is a more constant and powerful wall of sound,’ the experts said.
While the US chants are often mocked online for being basic, Professor Jørgensgaard Graakjær says this is unfair.
‘One could argue that football supporter culture in the United States has simply not undergone the same historical development as in England, including the traditions of humour, irony, and lyrical adaptation that have long characterized English football chanting,’ he explained.
‘American sports have traditionally placed greater emphasis on entertainment and spectacle produced by clubs, leagues, and event organizers.
‘This may, to some extent, have reduced the need for supporters themselves to generate the atmosphere.
‘In England, by contrast, fans have historically played a more central role in shaping the sonic environment of matches, which may help explain the greater creativity and diversity of football chants.’
Regardless of style, Professor Jørgensgaard Graakjær says chants are crucial for matches – and suggests we may even see new ones emerging at the World Cup.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘I think we will hear “new chants” in the sense that supporters from World Cup newcomers – Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan – may introduce international audiences to chanting traditions that many football fans have never encountered before.
‘Beyond that, I do not expect a large number of entirely new, supporter–generated chants to emerge during the tournament.
‘Contemporary football chant culture relies heavily on the adaptation and circulation of existing melodies and lyrical formats, which tend to travel quickly across clubs, countries, and competitions.
‘That said, major tournaments have a way of producing unexpected moments of creativity, so perhaps we will be surprised. I suppose we will have to wait and listen.’
The news comes shortly after scientists revealed which teams are most likely to take home the trophy at the World Cup.
Experts from the University of Innsbruck have calculated the chances of winning for all 48 participating teams.
And their findings will come as good news for Spain fans.
According to the researchers’ calculations, Spain is the favourite, with a 14.5 per cent chance of winning the tournament.
However, England fans will be relieved to hear that England is close behind (12.4 per cent), just ahead of France (12.4 per cent) and Germany (11.2 per cent).
‘Compared to previous tournaments, this year’s title race is very tight,’ said co–lead author, Achim Zeileis.
In contrast, Jordan is the least likely to win the World Cup, according to the researchers – while Scotland has just a 0.2 per cent chance of winning.
