The influx of England fans to the U.S. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has led many Americans to discover the iconic soccer anthem âFreed From Desire.â
In viral footage of English tourists watching the England v. Croatia game at sports bars on Wednesday (June 17), American patrons were impressed by the fansâ stamina for partying and their catchy soccer chants.
âWhy didnât anyone tell me the England fans are this fun? They need to stay in the U.S.,â wrote @alyssataylor_xo on TikTok, sharing a clip of England fans chanting along to âFreed From Desireâ and sitting on each otherâs shoulders after the team won 4-2.
One person responded to her post, saying: âJust so you know, this is an average weekend in the U.K,â as another added: âThis is every bank holiday/sunny day/ any âoccasionâ we can think of in the U.K.â
âFreed From Desire,â a 1996 Eurodance hit by Italian singer Gala, became a soccer anthem in 2016 after Wigan Athletic fans adapted the lyrics into a chant for striker Will Grigg: âWill Griggâs on fire, your defence is terrified!â
The reimagined lyrics were used in stadium-wide sing-alongs during the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, and have stuck as an unofficial soccer chant.
The songâs catchy vocal hook, âna-na-na-na,â is often chanted in unison by crowds.
Other videos filmed at Dallas Stadium, Texas, for Wednesdayâs match showed England fans picking up litter in bars at the end of the night.
Another clip, posted by @kicking_off, showed England fans at a rodeo in Dallas, singing along to Oasisâs 1995 hit âWonderwallâ with an American crowd.
Other heartwarming clips show Scotland fans visiting Boston for the matches in the city, embracing American culture, including a visit to Fenway Park to watch a Boston Red Sox game.
One clip, shared by @w1lly_w1lson, shows a Scot playing the patriotic song âScotland the Braveâ on bagpipes, jamming with a local bucket drummer on the street to create a unique remix. The post, which has more than 300,000 likes, was dubbed âwhat the World Cup is all aboutâ by one viewer.
âCan Boston and Scotland just agree on a lil joint holiday each year and colab like this? We can take turns. It would be EPIC,â wrote one person.
âThis is what COEXISTENCE means,â wrote another. âTwo different people, but in SYNC. Life can be simple.â
Europeans visiting the U.S. for the soccer event have also gone viral, particularly for their reactions to mundane American foods and restaurant chains.
German influencer named Freddy, who keeps his face hidden on X, recently went viral with his hilarious and enthusiastic reactions to trying fast food staples like Taco Bell, Waffle House and Buc-eeâs. He has amassed more than 600,000 followers on X since arriving in the U.S. for the World Cup.
In viral footage of English tourists watching the England v. Croatia game at sports bars on Wednesday (June 17), American patrons were impressed by the fansâ stamina for partying and their catchy soccer chants.
âWhy didnât anyone tell me the England fans are this fun? They need to stay in the U.S.,â wrote @alyssataylor_xo on TikTok, sharing a clip of England fans chanting along to âFreed From Desireâ and sitting on each otherâs shoulders after the team won 4-2.
One person responded to her post, saying: âJust so you know, this is an average weekend in the U.K,â as another added: âThis is every bank holiday/sunny day/ any âoccasionâ we can think of in the U.K.â
âFreed From Desire,â a 1996 Eurodance hit by Italian singer Gala, became a soccer anthem in 2016 after Wigan Athletic fans adapted the lyrics into a chant for striker Will Grigg: âWill Griggâs on fire, your defence is terrified!â
The reimagined lyrics were used in stadium-wide sing-alongs during the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, and have stuck as an unofficial soccer chant.
The songâs catchy vocal hook, âna-na-na-na,â is often chanted in unison by crowds.
Other videos filmed at Dallas Stadium, Texas, for Wednesdayâs match showed England fans picking up litter in bars at the end of the night.
Another clip, posted by @kicking_off, showed England fans at a rodeo in Dallas, singing along to Oasisâs 1995 hit âWonderwallâ with an American crowd.
Other heartwarming clips show Scotland fans visiting Boston for the matches in the city, embracing American culture, including a visit to Fenway Park to watch a Boston Red Sox game.
One clip, shared by @w1lly_w1lson, shows a Scot playing the patriotic song âScotland the Braveâ on bagpipes, jamming with a local bucket drummer on the street to create a unique remix. The post, which has more than 300,000 likes, was dubbed âwhat the World Cup is all aboutâ by one viewer.
âCan Boston and Scotland just agree on a lil joint holiday each year and colab like this? We can take turns. It would be EPIC,â wrote one person.
âThis is what COEXISTENCE means,â wrote another. âTwo different people, but in SYNC. Life can be simple.â
Europeans visiting the U.S. for the soccer event have also gone viral, particularly for their reactions to mundane American foods and restaurant chains.
German influencer named Freddy, who keeps his face hidden on X, recently went viral with his hilarious and enthusiastic reactions to trying fast food staples like Taco Bell, Waffle House and Buc-eeâs. He has amassed more than 600,000 followers on X since arriving in the U.S. for the World Cup.
