Man City man helps tune Belgium’s World Cup secret weapon

Belgium’s reputation as the dark horses of the World Cup in Brazil has been further enhanced with the release of a new song for the tournament – a sure-fire way to guarantee glory at the summer finals.

The Red Devils can be backed at 14/1 to claim top honours in Rio, having qualified for the finals in style, but it’s the decision to feature in the new song – from homegrown hip-hop maestro Stromae – that could pay dividends.

A Brussels-born electronic music favourite, the 29-year-old has pulled out all the stops to ensure his beloved national side head to the World Cup with hopes high via the song ‘ta fête’.

After all, it’s rare that a team going into an international tournament with a specially-recorded song makes a premature exit, as a series of classic and not-so-great tunes over the years have shown.

Back in 1990 music lovers all over the world fell in love with the Italian anthem “Un Estate Italiana” by Gianna Nannini & Edoardo Bennato, a song that spurred the Azzurri on to the semi-finals where penalty kicks were all that denied them a final place.

The song would have its moment 16 years on though, with Fabio Cannavaro and co playing their way to glory in Germany and prompting Italy fans to dig out their copies of the now terribly dated classic for repeat listens.

Nannini and Bennato’s effort may have failed to spur the side to victory but it was a different story for the West Germany team in 1990 who, alongside musican Udo Jurgens, collaborated on the Roy Orbison-tinged “Wir sind schon auf dem Brenner” – an abomination of a World Cup song.

Official songs have also had some impact over the years, with the 1994 cheese-fest that was “Gloryland” – a Team America parody song 10 years too early – helping the US to a then best-ever second round appearance.

But the true daddy remains Ricky Martin’s 1998 ode to Les Bleus. You can keep your “Livin’ La Vida Loca” – when it comes to my track of choice from the flamboyant Puerto Rican “The Cup of Life” wins it every time, embodying the carnival atmosphere of the competition and the singer’s own love of dancing.

Nevermind manager Aime Jacquet’s team talks, Ricky had it bang on when it came to advising the French team, explaining that they had to “push it along, got to be strong” and posing the question: “Do you really want it? Then come and get it”. If only he had been there four years later.

Belgium’s new dance-tinged effort certainly has the backing of the squad with Vincent Kompany, Marouane Fellaini and Christian Benteke among the star cameos of the accompanying video.

And with this kind of support behind them, backing the Belgians to go as far as Italy did in 1990 looks a good bet with 6/1 on the Red Devils exiting at the semi-finals, while they can definitely do a USA with a second round exit on at 13/10.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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