Supporters from other countries often mock American football fans for their chants (or lack thereof).
The atmospheres at European and South American sporting events are completely different from those in North America.
Every fan seems to know the words to several chants – some of which are quite complicated – without ever rehearsing them.
Americans usually either do not chant, or keep their chants simple, such as ‘USA, USA, USA’ or ‘defense, defense, defense’.
However, some USMNT supporters at the World Cup are fed up with receiving criticism by the wider football community.
They have unleashed a new chant for star striker Folarin Balogun ahead of the USA’s group game against Paraguay.
What is the new Folarin Balogun chant?
Football chants are often sung to the same tune as popular songs, with the lyrics changed to reflect the players and/or team.
A group of USMNT supporters have now come up with a chant about Folarin Balogun to the tune of Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’.
‘Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) was the official song of the 2010 World Cup and remains extremely popular 16 years later.
The words to the Balogun chant are: “Tsamina mina, eh, eh, Waka waka, eh, eh, Balogun, he scores again, we stole him from England.”
The England reference alludes to Balogun growing up in London, but still choosing to represent the USMNT.
The Monaco striker’s parents were on holiday in New York when his mother was seven months pregnant.
She was then refused entry onto their return flight for safety reasons and Balogun was born in a New York hospital.
They spent two months in New York before returning home, meaning Balogun could represent England or the USA.
Clearly impressed by the creativity of Balogun’s new chant, an English fan wrote on X: “They’re starting to get it now.”
Hopefully, this is just the start of American fans unveiling new chants for their best players throughout the World Cup and beyond.
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