‘We Are The People’: Crack in the unity

The four week run started on 11th June for UEFA European Championship (Euro 2020) concluded on 11th July with series of unfortunate incidents at the finals in Wembley.

The Italian team were given a hero’s welcome as they arrived back in Rome on Monday, while some of the English team members were under racial abuse and criticism from their own countrymen on social media.

Apart from all these ugly incidents, music manages to rice for the occasion. When Sony Music Netherlands released the official UEFA EURO 2020 song, ‘We Are The People’ by Garrix, featuring Bono and The Edge, on May 14, music lovers, specially U2 fans worldwide were elated. This is the closest they could get to the legends’ concert.

The song is accompanied by an official music video starring all three artistes which has more than two million views so far on YouTube alone. Dutch DJ Martin Garrix has teamed up with U2’s Bono and the Edge to create this anthemic song ‘We Are the People’, which was the official song of the concluded 2020 UEFA European Football Championship.

‘Creating the music for one of the biggest sports events in the world together with Bono and the Edge has been an incredible experience’ Garrix said in a statement to media. “I’m very proud of what we did together and excited to finally share it with the world”

Garrix began work on the song three years ago. Early in the process, he noticed the guitar intro had somewhat of a U2 vibe to it. It made him think that bringing actual members of the band into the fold would take the song to a whole new level, but it felt like an impossible dream.

Finally, ‘We Are The People’, the football anthem was launched on DJ Martin Garrix’ 25th birthday on May 14, 2021, by

Sony Music Netherlands, the collaboration with U2 greats, Bono and The Edge, was one of the big surprises for fans. Music lovers expected the song to hit the top like previous UEFA and FIFA anthems and songs.

‘We Are The People’, the official song of UEFA EURO 2020, didn’t ignites music world like pervious Official Songs. It may due to many reasons, I think. Worldwide restrictions, lockdowns and limited human interaction may have disturbed the fame of this song to touch the music horizon.

‘This One’s for You’ by David Guetta featuring Zara Larsson was the official anthem for last UEFA European Championship 2016 in France and ‘Endless Summer’ by Oceana Mahlmann, a German reggae, hip hop, and funk singer did the official song for 2012 UEFA European Championship Cup, jointly hosted by Poland Ukraine were instant hits across Europe. Both were popular hits during the period and thereafter.

‘Can You Hear Me’ by Enrique Iglesias was a hit from the inauguration as the official theme song for UEFA European Championship in 2008 jointly hosted by Austria and Switzerland, while ‘Força’ by Nelly Furtado was popular not only in Europe but all over the world in 2004. The 2004 UEFA was hosted by Portugal.

Likewise, FIFA World Cup anthems and songs were popular amongst football fans and music lovers world over. In 2010 World Cup Championship in South Africa created the mass hysteria with ‘Wavin’ Flag’ by K’Naan and ‘Waka Waka’ by Shakira featuring Freshlyground. The songs were instant hits all over the world.

‘Dar um Jeito, (We Will Find a Way) by Carlos Santana featuring Wyclef, Avicii, and Alexandre Pires, ‘We Are One (Ole Ola)’ by Pitbull featuring Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte, ‘La La La (Brasil)’ by Shakira featuring Carlinhos Brown were hits in the world charts in 2014 with FIFA World Cup Championship in Brazil

FIFA Theme Songs for 2018 World Cup Championship in Russia ‘Live It Up’ and ‘Colors’ by Nicky Jam featuring Will Smith/Era Istrefi and by Jason Derulo, Maluma, Qurat-ul-Ain

Balouch respectively were popular with music and football fans all over the world.

Ricky Martin’s ‘La Copa de la Vida’ (1998-France) and ‘We Are the Champions’ by Queen (1994USA) are still popular with music lovers of all ages.

‘We Are The People’ reminds us that a song can look at the challenges facing the world at a given time and still attempt a unified response. It is a hymn sheet from which we can all sing where ever we may come from, but especially in Europe where the competition focused the attention of the whole world. ‘We Are The People’ expected to reflect the positivity, hope, and determination required for any team to succeed, as well as offer a sense of togetherness that fits the theme of UEFA EURO 2020: Unity. For the first time in EURO history, the tournament is being played across the continent, which will display theme of unity throughout. For the first time in the UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2020 history, the tournament is being played across the continent in 11 host cities instead of one country. This includes Amsterdam, Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome, Saint Petersburg and Seville.

But it is now the correct time to look back to see how far the real meaning of the ‘Theme song’ has gone into the masses and how they honour ‘Unity’.

However according the ‘The Guardian’, England face being handed a stadium ban by UEFA after the governing body opened an investigation into the chaotic and violent scenes at Wembley around the Euro 2020 final, meaning one or more of their Nations League games next year could be played behind closed doors.

The Football Association faces an anxious wait to see what UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary committee makes of what became a disturbingly unruly afternoon on Sunday, the 11th. UEFA said its investigation would be into “events involving supporters which occurred inside and around the stadium”; it is already understood that hundreds of people without tickets attempted to break through barriers, turnstiles and gates to enter Wembley, and that a significant number succeeded in doing so.

UEFA separately charged the FA over fans’ behaviour inside the ground before and during the game, which England lost on penalties against Italy. Those offences were invasion of the pitch, throwing of objects, booing of the Italian national anthem and the lighting of a firework.

Log onto https://youtu.be/ kGT73GcwhCU to watch ‘We Are The People’