What music do footballers listen to?

The connection between music and football runs deep; it can be found in every corner and nuance, in every possible form. From stadium soundtracks to club anthems, including the unmistakable Champions League theme song and the songs associated with major football events, like Waka Waka and Wavin' Flag, which have become much more than simple musical accompaniments for a fleeting summer. Then there are the FIFA soundtracks and many other video games, which have significantly contributed to shaping football culture and its intersection with other art forms, especially over the past thirty years. Not to mention the personal habits and tastes of the players themselves: Neymar Jr.'s dances to the tune of Ai se eu te pego, and the enduring legacy of Beats By Dre in the football world, thanks in part to the partnership with Erling Braut Haaland, continuing the tradition of iconic images of Mario Balotelli and Cristiano Ronaldo wearing the world’s most famous headphones.

The Spotify Wrapped has finally arrived, and we asked footballers — particularly those featured in our editorial format More Than — about their most-listened-to albums and artists of 2024. While American rap dominates the playlists of players like Rafa Leão and Stole Dimitrievski, catchy hits are just as popular, especially among Italian footballers. Among the most-played artists by Alessandro Buongiorno, the defender dazzling Serie A with his stellar performances, is Lazza, with the track Locura. Although Kendrick Lamar's latest album, GNX, was released only two weeks ago, after Spotify Wrapped had already stopped calculating listening minutes for 2024, many players we spoke to still cited it as one of their favorites. They emphasized that K-Dot’s latest project has been so impactful over the past few weeks that, if Spotify had included late November and early December data, Kendrick Lamar would certainly have appeared in their annual rankings.

If Rafa Leão's favorite artist was Gunna, Stole Dimitrievski and even Stefano Turati both favored Kendrick Lamar. Meanwhile, Tom Davies, the Sheffield midfielder, is a big fan of Keinemusik, the German electronic music label that includes DJs and music producers Adam Port, Rampa, and Reznik, as well as artist Monja Gentschow, who creates the artwork. His favorite track was Thandaza, which he played on repeat through his headphones. Lastly, we come to Jackson Irvine, a footballer we’d expect to have edgy and alternative tastes — much like this meme going viral on TikTok. And indeed, that’s the case: his favorite band is Kneecap, a rap group that is surprisingly articulate. They mix Irish and English, satire and socially conscious lyrics, and reality with absurdity. A group perfectly aligned with Jackson Irvine’s personality, as he has always stood out as a footballer who breaks the mold, with passions distinct from those of most of his peers and a decidedly refined taste in many respects.