Thread by @shaunjlawson

THREAD: National anthems.

There's many things I love about major sporting tournaments. In my opinion, nothing in the world is better than the World Cup: during which, I'm like a child on Christmas morning every day for a month.

Sporting tournaments are also great for... anthems

The 1988 Olympic Games first introduced me to a good number of them, and 10-year-old me was captivated. In this list of my 20 favourites from around the world, two of them make it because they had such an impression on me at those Games in Seoul.

Before I start, a few addendums:

1. God Save The Queen is an appalling dirge which should be disposed with forthwith and does not make this list. There's bazillions of reasons for the England football team's endless failures - but GSTQ must be one of them. It's awful.

Jerusalem, if it was England's anthem, would make this list. Albeit, I doubt half of England's fans would be able to learn the words!

It'd be a good intelligence test I reckon: "Sing the lyrics of Jerusalem or you're not allowed in".

2. This list has only one Asian (um, sort of) and only one African anthem. Apologies for that: Orientalism ahoy! That's surely a reflection of both continents having made little impact on World Cups down the years, so I've not heard much of their national music.

3. The list also contains one anthem from a country which no longer exists. Can you guess which one? A hugely important anthem in geopolitical history, I'd say.

Anyway, without further ado, here we go:

MY 20 FAVOURITE NATIONAL ANTHEMS

20. Peru.

No fewer than six South American anthems make this list. They really *get* national anthems in this part of the world - or to put it another way:

"We come from Jibrovia and we don't give a f***!"

The best anthems really give you a sense of the country.

To me, Peru's is perfectly in tune with the nation's mixed ethnic heritage: it's a really good blend.

So, in honour of its most famous, um, export (and of marmalade sandwiches...)

19. Israel.

This one might not go down too well with some of my followers. But the Israeli anthem is gorgeous: brim full of the historic pain and suffering... but enduring strength and hope of the Jewish people.

Music in Hebrew can be absolutely fantastic at times. Below, one of my two or three favourite Eurovision songs ever: it is just extraordinarily beautiful.

(I love watching the conductor and the bloke on the cymbals as it reaches its crescendo).

18. Romania.

This one's in there because of those '88 Olympics - where the Romanian gymnasts (Daniela Silivas in particular) were out of this world.

It's a very simple but wonderfully patriotic and emotional anthem.

17. New Zealand.

With its enlightened, progressive government and extraordinary record on Covid, New Zealand might well be the world's most popular country right now. It's certainly a place I want to visit in the future.

This is a wonderful anthem precisely *because* it's kinda understated. Listening to it, you know it's mostly an inclusive, friendly sort of place.

16. Germany.

Many people would put this classic anthem far, far higher. The reason I don't is, quite likely, because the German national team has inflicted so much pain on me over the years! 😂

One such night was the Euro 96 semi-final. Which featured the most memorable rendition of the German anthem I can recall.

Why so memorable? Because one beautiful woman sang against a whole nation and stadium which, shamefully, disgracefully, booed it.

Many fans boo national anthems; hardly just England fans. But I've always found it disgusting, outrageous... and it must regularly inspire the opponents too. As it surely did that never-to-be-forgotten night.

15. Chile.

You'll notice a mounting footballing theme emerging now. I'm not sure this would've made my list if it wasn't for Ivan 'Bam Bam' Zamorano's magnificently proud singing at the 1998 World Cup. What a job he did selling his country to the world!

The Chilean team are, er, none too popular with Uruguayans. It's complicated. 😬

The two nations meet once more tomorrow night at the Copa America. Every Uruguayan will be watching that one for sure.

14. Argentina.

The full version of the Argentinian anthem is, rather like the country itself, a mess. It goes up, down and all around the houses. It's hilarious!

But just watch this and try keeping composed. THIS is what you call passion.

Seriously: watch that anthem above, then compare it with GSTQ.

Do we not realise the immense advantage so many nations have when they have music that does THAT? Our anthem probably depresses the players even before we start!

13. Brazil.

Another classic. Whenever I hear it, I always think of happy dancing chaos: the world's image of Brazil in a nutshell.

This tune is really unique.

12. Paraguay.

This really grew on me at the 2010 World Cup - when Paraguay reached the quarter-finals, far and away their greatest sporting achievement ever.

You might compare their shootout win v Japan to Ireland's v Romania in 1990 in what it did for both nations.

I often think Paraguay is this continent's most forgotten, ignored nation. So much of that is down to its profoundly tragic past: above all, the catastrophic War of the Triple Alliance, which it spent at least a century trying to recover from.

11. Czech Republic.

Most national anthems are upbeat, tubthumping, militaristic, liberty or death, that sort of thing.

The Czech anthem is a major exception. It's almost -almost - sad... yet so incredibly evocative.

10. South Africa.

We're into the top 10 now - and here we have a hugely important, symbolic anthem.

That very rare thing too: a recently written one which does the job spectacularly well, and is in fully FIVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES!

The Springboks aren't just about rugby at all. They're about so much more nowadays. Sport cannot heal a nation... but it can inspire it and help it, black and white, come together in peace and unity.

For that reason, I'm always happy when South Africa win the Rugby World Cup.

9. Wales.

This is the only British anthem that makes the list. There's something about Land of my Fathers which, when sung at a football or rugby match, is spinetingling.

And evocative: I actually picture the poor downtrodden miners when I hear it.

8. Greece.

Greece often don't qualify for major tournaments, so this one gets forgotten at times. It shouldn't. It's wonderful.

Below, my favourite rendition of it ever - by Greece's (the world's, almost) most unlikely Olympic Champion ever.

Voula Patoulidou went into those Games hoping to reach the 100m hurdles semi-finals. Just reaching the final was amazing - but in that race, she was the extraordinary beneficiary as Gail Devers tumbled onto the track in the final few metres.

Listen to the disbelieving, delirious Greek commentators from 5:30 here:



This was a nation-changing moment. In her post-race interview, Patoulidou yelled:

"For Greece, damn it!"

This became an inspirational national slogan.

I've long believed the footballers of 2004 wouldn't have achieved such an utter miracle had she not done it first.

Greece have had several other totally unexpected Olympic medalists to whom the same probably applied: what she started, they continued. She showed it was possible.

7. East Germany.

Now we come to an anthem of a country which ceased to exist long ago. But good lord, this music is powerful; my God, it inspired so many of their sportspeople. Even if horrible numbers of them were on state sponsored doping programmes!

6. Portugal.

This anthem made my hairs stand on end during Euro 2004. Just listen to this cacophonous din!

I'm generally not a fan of the Portuguese team - far too much cynicism and playacting for my liking - but I am a massive fan of the country itself

5. Italy.

My favourite country in Europe. If ever a country had been designed specifically for tourists, it's Italy: it has EVERYTHING.

The first few bars of its anthem are simply the best in the world. I've been humming them for the last week too.

And as a lifelong fan of how they play football - they're so smart, so intelligent, it's practically genetic - I would love to see them win this tournament.

(Assuming that, mind those flying pigs, England don't, that is).

As an aside, maybe don't check out the rarely sung remaining verses of the Italian anthem. You'll probably be a bit shocked! 😱😱😂

4. Uruguay.

I fell in love with the Uruguayan team, and this country itself, at Wembley in May 1990. This utterly brilliant anthem probably had something to do with that. It captures the spirit of the people PERFECTLY.

Even Ronaldo was visibly impressed

The longer version is, well, long. 🤣 But it's fantastic as well. I especially adore the bit from 3:23 here where it suddenly heads back towards the main rhythm - it just does something amazing in my imagination, that part.

I've been eligible to claim Uruguayan citizenship for some time now. But I won't do it until I've learnt ALL the words to the anthem - and can sing it without stumbling all over the place and making myself look even more of a fool than I already am.

Wish me luck! 🙏

3. USA.

All proud, militaristic nations need an anthem which matches that. And for all the country's many historic faults, I remain an Americanophile. When you visit, the sheer energy of the USA is something else.

As is THIS rendition below. Sensational

It takes a lot to impress Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But she did. What talent, what confidence, what a voice! 🥰🥰🥰

At last, we reach the top two. Which in my view, are and have always been miles ahead of the rest of the world. Whichever one you'd place 1st or 2nd, I'd have no argument - it's these two and then daylight as far as I'm concerned.

Which one am I gonna put 2nd? Drumroll please...

2. France.

I was in awe when I first heard La Marseillaise. So much so that I'd listen to Five Live ahead of a Five Nations game, purely to hear the French anthem: especially when they were at home.

It's bloodthirsty, yes. But it's also quite magnificent.

For this version, following the Paris terrorist attacks, the whole of Wembley joined in on a hugely moving occasion.

And after the UK suffered its own trauma and pain at London Bridge and in Manchester, the French reciprocated with this in Paris. Beautiful and amazing.

Merci beaucoup, la belle France! ❤️

But there can only be one winner. And I'd be astonished if anyone reading this thread hasn't already worked out which one it must be.

Presenting the greatest national anthem in the world: the ultimate masterpiece of patriotism, heroism, history, pain and beauty.

1. Russia.

Vladimir Putin, for all his horrible flaws, is one seriously smart cookie. After Boris Yeltsin brought in a horrendously dreary new anthem following the USSR's collapse, Putin brilliantly brought the old one back.

Nothing compares with it. Nothing.

The words are different, but the tune's the same. So playing us out is the old Soviet version - precisely as the people would hear it, at close of TV transmission every single night.

Here's a piece of televisual history for you, dear followers.

Now THAT's what I call propaganda! 🤣🤣🤣

So that's the full list. I'm sure plenty will disagree - but these twenty do it for me. The top 8 or so, especially.

Long live patriotism. Long live internationalism. Long live friendship. And long live national anthems. 🙏