For years Shakira was known as the “Queen of the World Cup”, with his songs becoming synonymous with the biggest football tournament. In 2026, the Colombian superstar made a triumphant return with Dai Dai, a World Cup anthem that took the world by storm.
Now, as the tournament reaches the semi-finals, fans have noticed a surprising coincidence that has sparked a lot of discussion online.
The four footballers featured prominently in the Dai Dai music video – Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappé (France), Harry Kane (England) and Rodri (Spain) – all led their respective national teams to the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Each player was instrumental to their country’s success, serving as a key figure throughout the tournament.
The coincidence doesn’t stop there. Of the 12 footballers who appeared in Dai Dai’s music video, 10 advanced to the round of 16, leading fans to jokingly wonder if Shakira “Good luck” has somewhat affected this year’s World Cup.
While many recognize that Shakira simply invited some of soccer’s biggest stars to appear in the video, social media has been flooded with humorous comments that the singer is secretly “check” the tournament.
Whether he has it or not “magic,” Shakira unquestionably dominated the World Cup musically. Many fans praised Dai Dai for perfectly capturing the excitement and energy of football, with some calling it a stronger World Cup anthem than Jelly Roll’s Lighter and Lisa’s Goals.
The song also achieved considerable commercial success. Dai Dai has officially become the most viewed music video released in 2026 on YouTube, surpassing the previous record held by the Indian hit Pavazha Malli. During the World Cup, Shakira simultaneously occupied the top two spots on YouTube’s global music video chart, with:
- No. 1: Come on, come on
- No. 2: Waka Waka (This time for Africa)
The song also made history on Spotify, spending seven consecutive days in the global Top 10 and peaking at number 5. It is the first World Cup song to remain in Spotify’s global Top 10 for an entire week.
Born in Colombia in 1977, Shakira has built one of the most successful careers in the history of Latin music, selling more than 80 million records worldwide and winning three Grammy Awards and 14 Latin Grammy Awards.
However, one of his greatest legacies is his connection to football. It was first closely associated with the World Cup in 2006, when Hips Don’t Lie became one of the tournament’s signature songs. In 2010, he released Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), widely regarded as one of the greatest football anthems ever made. The song transcends sports to become a global symbol of unity and celebration. He followed that success with La La La for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, further cementing his status as the face of World Cup music.
Many fans felt that the 2018 and 2022 tournaments lacked the same musical excitement without a new Shakira anthem. His return with Dai Dai in 2026 was widely celebrated for bringing back the energy of the World Cup.
Shakira’s relationship with football goes beyond music. She began dating former Spain and Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué after meeting him while filming the Waka Waka music video in 2010. Together, they became one of the world’s most famous celebrity couples and gave birth to two children during their 11-year relationship. Their separation in 2022, following Piqué’s highly publicized infidelity, dominated headlines around the world. According to widely circulated accounts, Shakira first became suspicious after discovering a jar of strawberry jam in her refrigerator, a food she reportedly liked but which neither Piqué nor her children liked.
Instead of letting the breakup define her, Shakira responded through music. His explosive diss track BZRP Music Sessions No. 53 became a global phenomenon, with unforgettable lyrics comparing a Ferrari to a Twingo and a Rolex to a Casio. The song broke 14 Guinness World Records and became one of the most streamed Latin songs in Spotify history, turning personal pain into one of the biggest musical comebacks of his career.
Whether pure coincidence or simply the result of the participation of football’s biggest stars, the semi-final success of the players appearing in Dai Dai has become one of the funniest storylines of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Along with the song’s record-breaking success on YouTube and Spotify, Shakira has once again proven why she remains the undisputed star. “Queen of the World Cup”.
Sources: K14
