When Music Meets Football:
The Art of the Game
“Imagine having an imaginary friend who comes to rescue you from a tough spot.” Now, whether football is an art form or not is up for debate. Some folks play it like it’s a canvas, but what we do know is that football and art, especially music, have a long-standing relationship. Let’s dive into the beautiful intersection of football and music.
Football and music have often danced together through history. From bands passionately supporting their local teams, to songs that become anthems for clubs, to stadiums doubling as concert venues. It’s all there.
Take for instance, the iconic “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Frank Sinatra. Written back in 1945, this song has become synonymous with Liverpool FC, sung by thousands of fans before every game. Or think about the reggae legend Bob Marley, whose love for football, particularly Ajax, has inspired many. And then there’s Oasis, the Britpop kings whose members, Noel and Liam Gallagher, are die-hard Manchester City fans.
Football isn’t just a sport; it’s a spectacle, a drama, a concert of emotions. And when you add music to that mix, the result is something truly magical. Remember those epic stadium concerts? Or the goosebumps you get when your team’s anthem plays before kickoff? That’s what we’re talking about – the pure, unfiltered joy of music meeting football.
So, let’s set the stage and explore some of these iconic moments where football and music have come together to create memories that fans will cherish forever.
“Imagining a friend coming to rescue you from a tough spot”—some say that’s what sports, especially football, can do. For some, football is an art form. Whether or not that’s true, there’s no denying that moments where football and art intersect are plentiful. In this piece, we’re diving into the blend of football and music. Historically, music and football have often intertwined, with bands supporting teams, songs becoming anthems, and stadiums doubling as concert venues.
Noel and Liam Gallagher, the legendary Oasis brothers, played their first major gig at Manchester City’s old ground, Maine Road, back in 1996. But they didn’t jump on the City bandwagon just because the team started winning. For years, while United basked in European glory, City was far from the spotlight. Noel once mused, “Sometimes I wonder why my dad took me to Maine Road instead of Old Trafford. It was a family thing, really. My dad hated his brothers, all Irish immigrants who decided to support United. Just to piss them off, he chose City. Liam and I should have been United fans by all rights.” He continued, “The first game my dad took me to was in 1971, City vs. Newcastle United at Maine Road. That was it; City was my team.”
At 15, Noel was kicked out of school and spent most of his time with City’s fan groups. For him, the famous “Wonderwall” song, played before City’s home matches, symbolizes “a friend coming to rescue you from a tough spot.” This perfectly mirrors City’s tumultuous history. While “Wonderwall” wasn’t written specifically for Manchester City, its message resonates deeply with the club’s past struggles. Oasis didn’t stop there; Liam Gallagher created “Blue Moon” for City’s kit launch and dropped “Don’t Look Back in Anger” into their celebration soundtrack.
Last season, City pulled off an incredible comeback against Aston Villa to secure their fourth title in five seasons. Among the ecstatic fans was Noel Gallagher, who shared a wild memory: “After the third goal, the stadium was in chaos. I was jumping around like an idiot. A few rows above me, Ruben Dias’s family was sitting. After the goal, his dad rushed towards me. We collided, and I ended up on the ground, bleeding. I missed the last two minutes of the match because I was getting stitches.”
After the final whistle, Noel made his way onto the pitch and shared a moment with Pep Guardiola. “With stitches in my lip and a black eye, Pep ran towards me, crying, and hugged me. ‘What happened to your face?’ he asked. I told him, ‘Go be with your players.’”
Even though Oasis disbanded in 2009 due to the brothers’ disagreements, Manchester City continues to bring them together. Many fans hope for a reconciliation, perhaps at a City match. Maybe, just maybe, it will happen when City clinches their long-awaited Champions League title or their next Premier League victory.
