While Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates have been giving their all on the field in Qatar, their fans have been doing their part in the stands and across their home nation to spur on La Albiceleste with their boisterous singing. One song, in particular, has been heard on repeat in Qatar with the Argentina squad also seen joining in to sing - 'Muchahos'.
The song has been raised as a rallying cry by the fans to spur their team towards what will be their third World Cup triumph as they take on defending champions France at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday, December 18.
And as a side note, Muchahos has also become the soundtrack for 35-year-old Lionel Messi's quest to finally lift the one trophy that still keeps him from ascending to the god-like status that Diego Armando Maradona occupies in the hearts of the Argentinian people.
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'Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar' which translates as 'Boys, we have our hopes up again' is an adaptation of a song by Argentine rock fusion band La Mosca, 'Muchachos, Esta Noche me Embarracho,' (Boys, I' m getting drunk tonight) released in 2003.
Argentina fan Fernando Romero adapted the lyrics in September 2021 to celebrate the team's run to the Copa América final where they went on to beat arch-rivals Brazil as Messi finally won his first major international trophy for La Albiceleste.
The song again became popular when Messi was asked what his favorite song was during a television interview just before the World Cup and the fleet-footed magician mentioned the song, and even sang a few lines on screen. After their win against Mexico, which secured qualification into the knockout stage, the Argentina team was seen singing the song along with their fans in Qatar which then became a common occurrence after every win.
In fact, during their 3-0 semi-final victory against Croatia, the substitutes could be seen joining in with the crowds even before the final whistle had blown.
The original version of the song titled “Muchachos, Esta Noche Me Emborracho” (“Boys, Tonight I'll Get Drunk”), was meant as a heartbreak song written by La Mosca lead singer Guillermo Novellis and Sergio Cairat.
The duo also spotted the growing attention the adaptation was receiving and recorded and released the new version , giving credit to Romero, just two weeks before the World Cup in Qatar could get underway. The chorus of the song goes like this:
Guys
Now we are excited again
I want to win the third
I want to be world champion
And
we can see Diego from heaven
With Don Diego and La Tota
Cheering on Lionel,
Boys
Now we've got our hopes up again
I want to win the third
I want to be world champion
And Diego
From the sky we can see him
With Don Diego and La Tota
Cheering Lionel on
It pays tribute to the late Diego Maradona and his mother, Dalma Salvadora Franco (La Tota) who is fondly remembered as “the Mother of Football” by fans in Argentina for the role she played in her son's life.
The song opens with the mention of both Messi and Maradona in the opening line saying: “I was born in Argentina, land of Diego and Lionel, of the kids from the Falkland Islands, whom I'll never forget.” And fans at the Lusail Stadium will be hoping to sing this long into the Qatar night as they keep the dream alive of being "champions again."
The lyrics of the 'Muchahos' song go like this:
(Original Spanish)
En Argentina nací
Tierra del Diego y Lionel
De los pibes de Malvinas
Que jamás olvidaré
No te lo puedo explicar
Porque no vas a entender
Las finales que perdimos
Cuantos años la lloré
Pero eso se terminó
Porque en el Maracaná
La final con los brazucas
La volvió a ganar papá
Muchachos
Ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar
Quiero ganar la tercera
Quiero ser campeón mundial
Y al Diego
Desde el cielo lo podemos ver
Con Don Diego y La Tota
Alentándolo a Lionel
Muchachos
Ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar
Quiero ganar la tercera
Quiero ser campeón mundial
Y al Diego
Desde el cielo lo podemos ver
Con Don Diego y La Tota
Alentándolo a Lionel, y ser campeones otra vez, y ser campeones otra vez
(English Translation)
In Argentina I was born
Land of Diego and Lionel
Of the children of Malvinas
That I will never forget
I can’t explain it to you
Because you won’t understand
The finals we lost
How many years I cried
But that’s over
Because at the Maracaná
The final with the brazucas
Dad won it again
Boys
Now we’ve got our hopes up again
I want to win the third
I want to be world champion
And Diego
From the sky we can see him
With Don Diego and La Tota
Cheering Lionel on
Boys
Now we’ve got our hopes up again
I want to win the third
I want to be world champion
And Diego
From the sky we can see him
With Don Diego and La Tota
Cheering Lionel on, and to be champions again, and to be champions again
First Published: Dec 16, 2022 6:05 PM IST
