The influx of England fans to the U.S. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has led many Americans to discover the iconic soccer anthem “Freed From Desire.”
In viral footage of English tourists watching the England v. Croatia game at sports bars on Wednesday (June 17), American patrons were impressed by the fans’ stamina for partying and their catchy soccer chants.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me the England fans are this fun? They need to stay in the U.S.,” wrote @alyssataylor_xo on TikTok, sharing a clip of England fans chanting along to “Freed From Desire” and sitting on each other’s shoulders after the team won 4-2.
One person responded to her post, saying: “Just so you know, this is an average weekend in the U.K,” as another added: “This is every bank holiday/sunny day/ any ‘occasion’ we can think of in the U.K.”
“Freed From Desire,” a 1996 Eurodance hit by Italian singer Gala, became a soccer anthem in 2016 after Wigan Athletic fans adapted the lyrics into a chant for striker Will Grigg: “Will Grigg’s on fire, your defence is terrified!”
The reimagined lyrics were used in stadium-wide sing-alongs during the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, and have stuck as an unofficial soccer chant.
The song’s catchy vocal hook, “na-na-na-na,” is often chanted in unison by crowds.
Other videos filmed at Dallas Stadium, Texas, for Wednesday’s match showed England fans picking up litter in bars at the end of the night.
Another clip, posted by @kicking_off, showed England fans at a rodeo in Dallas, singing along to Oasis’s 1995 hit “Wonderwall” with an American crowd.
@kicking_off England fans at the rodeo in Dallas singing oasis Wonder wall with the Americans - lovely world cup moment
♬ oryginalny dźwięk - Tomasz_R
Other heartwarming clips show Scotland fans visiting Boston for the matches in the city, embracing American culture, including a visit to Fenway Park to watch a Boston Red Sox game.
One clip, shared by @w1lly_w1lson, shows a Scot playing the patriotic song “Scotland the Brave” on bagpipes, jamming with a local bucket drummer on the street to create a unique remix. The post, which has more than 300,000 likes, was dubbed “what the World Cup is all about” by one viewer.
“Can Boston and Scotland just agree on a lil joint holiday each year and colab like this? We can take turns. It would be EPIC,” wrote one person.
“This is what COEXISTENCE means,” wrote another. “Two different people, but in SYNC. Life can be simple.”
Europeans visiting the U.S. for the soccer event have also gone viral, particularly for their reactions to mundane American foods and restaurant chains.
German influencer named Freddy, who keeps his face hidden on X, recently went viral with his hilarious and enthusiastic reactions to trying fast food staples like Taco Bell, Waffle House and Buc-ee’s. He has amassed more than 600,000 followers on X since arriving in the U.S. for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, some tourists have been enamoured by the concept of ranch dressing — which is not as common in Europe — leading the Transportation Security Administration to issue a joke warning to fans to avoid “chugging your ranch” before boarding their flights home.
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