K-pop singer-rapper Lisa from Blackpink teamed up with Brazilian singer Anitta and Nigerian artist Rema to release Goals, the official anthem for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, on Thursday.
However, the track came under fire after social media erupted into a heated debate, with many criticising the composers and singers for failing to capture the ‘exhilarating spirit’ of a sports tournament, remarking on its ‘lyrics’.
Produced by Tropkillaz, the anthem blends K-pop, Latin pop, and Afrobeats, with the artists dancing to the rhythm and exuding confidence, each bringing their dynamic flair to craft an electrifying track.
Yet fans were left disappointed, with many calling the anthem “underwhelming” and arguing that it lacked the emotional intensity and stadium-like energy usually associated with a Fifa World Cup anthem.
Many social media users pointed to lines such as “My body, my fit, my friends, my whip” and “Buy out the club, I do it for the plot,” arguing that the lyrics felt more suited to a glam-pop track rather than a football tournament anthem, which is ‘supposed to celebrate passion, unity and competition’.
“The World Cup is one of the few moments where people of all cultures, of all ethnicities & of all financial statuses come together to celebrate and remember how we all come from the same planet. Yet they decided to sing about being skinny, pretty and how rich they are,” an X user wrote.
Another football enthusiast made a sarcastic remark, saying, “Back in 2021, she was singing about money and her clothes and her body and her Celine flip-flops and the nightclubs. And in 2024, she came back singing about her body and her clothes and how she's the rockstar of the nightclubs in Thailand. And in 2026 at the World Cup, she showed up singing about her body and her clothes and the nightclubs and her friends. I like the variety of concepts she's got.”
Many fans even compared Goals with Dreamers by Jungkook, one of the songs of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, with some arguing that the earlier track has hit the right chord. “I think we all need to clear our ears after listening to this crap,” an X user wrote.
Meanwhile, another post reads, “We went from Shakira’s 'Waka Waka' and Jungkook’s 'Dreamers' to some imaginary body goals. The downfall needs to be studied.”
Many users on X also claimed that Goals had managed to surpass Tukoh Taka as the “more disappointing” Fifa track, with several posts comparing the two songs’ reception online.
However, Goals has surpassed 2.5 million views on the video streaming platform YouTube.
The World Cup tournament begins on June 11, with matches scheduled across venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 2026 tournament marks the first time the United States has hosted the World Cup since 1994.
