I have not historically cared about soccer, but after spending a week in Italy—where World Cup excitement is already at a fever pitch, several weeks before the tournament officially begins on June 11—I have to admit that watching a match in a packed bar with a cold glass of wine in my hand sounds…pretty nice?

That revelation led me to a tour of World Cups past…or, more specifically, the history of World Cup songs, which have always had a way of getting stuck in our heads whether we liked them or not. But which were truly worthy of representing one of the most closely watched sports events in the world, and which left a little (or more) to be desired? Below, find a power ranking of every World Cup song that’s come out since the tradition began in 1990.

10. Anastacia, “Boom,” 2002

Some song had to come in last place, and for me it’s “Boom.” Yes, it packs a heavy early-aughts-nostalgia punch, but in sort of a bad way—i.e., it makes me think of the pop-cultural policing of young female stars and the original threat of skinny jeans, rather than whatever it is that was actually good about 2002.

9. “Live It Up” by Nicky Jam, featuring Will Smith and Era Istrefi, 2018

Maybe I’m just biased against anything coming out of a World Cup held in Russia (I’m Russian! I lived there until I was five! It’s not xenophobic for me to say this!), but the lyrics to “Live It Up” are just so bland (“One life, live it up, ’cause we got one life / One life, live it up, ’cause you don’t get it twice”), it’s hard to picture partying to it after a major win.

8. “The Time of Our Lives” by Il Divo feat. Toni Braxton, 2006

Hearing this somewhat mid song always makes me think of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” which leads to me wanting to rewatch Dirty Dancing, which often leads to me actually rewatching Dirty Dancing. And that’s far from the worst outcome I can think of!

7. “Un’estate italiana (To Be Number One)” by Edoardo Bennato and Gianna Nannini, 1990

Like I said, I’m not much of a World Cup person, but this jam has me shouting “Forza, Italia!” like I meant it (despite the fact that it was actually West Germany who won the World Cup that year). Sidenote: do Bennato and Nannini remind anyone else of Paolo and Isabella from The Lizzie McGuire Movie?

6. “Hayya Hayya (Better Together)” by Trinidad Cardona, Davido, and AISHA, 2022

2022’s official World Cup song was more of a playlist, featuring everyone from Nicki Minaj to Nora Fatehi to BTS’s Jung Kook. But “Hayya Hayya" (Better Together”), which served as the lead track of sorts, was most definitely a standout.

5. “Gloryland” by Daryl Hall feat. Sounds of Blackness, 1994

Am I doing American exceptionalism because this song was released during a World Cup that was held in the US, or is “Gloryland” just an absolute banger? Can’t it be both?

4. “Dai Dai” by Shakira feat. Burna Boy, 2026

Listen, I’m giving this one top-five credit for simply not being that Jelly Roll monstrosity that also accompanies the World Cup this year. We have to take our Shakira-scored hits where we can get them, and truly, I love you, Burna Boy.

3. “Ole Ola (We Are One) by Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, and Claudia Leitte, 2014

Realistically, a World Cup song featuring the J.Lo (and Mr. Worldwide himself! And Brazilian diva Claudia Leitte!) was always going to rank in my top three, but this song is also remarkably hard to get out of your head—especially if it was released during a college summer you spent in Berlin, hearing it played absolutely nonstop while you followed cool German boys who had no interest in you around to various sports bars. (Just me?)

2. “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)” by Shakira feat. Freshlyground, 2010

If you want a true hit of a World Cup song on your hands, you’d better get Shakira on it! The Colombian musical legend met the father of her two sons, Gerard Piqué, on the set of the “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” music video, proving that love can really spring from anywhere.

1. “Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida)” by Ricky Martin, 1998

This song wasn’t the official anthem for 1998’s World Cup—that would be Youssou N’Dour and Axelle Red’s “La Cour des Grands (Do You Mind If I Play)”—but it was the official song. And, come on: Ricky Martin contributing the ultimate late-’90s World Cup brainworm? There’s a reason “Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida)” won the Grammy for best Latin pop performance! France may have taken the World Cup that year, but it was a spiritual victory for Puerto Rico thanks to Martin.