The surprising links between classical music and football culture
This article explores the surprising connections between classical music and football (soccer), examining how composers like Verdi, Puccini, and Bruckner have been football fans, and how classical music has been used in football contexts from World Cup anthems to stadium playlists. It draws parallels between the emotional arcs of opera and football matches, and highlights specific examples such as Pavarotti's "Nessun Dorma" becoming synonymous with the 1990 World Cup, and the use of classical pieces in football culture.
Key quotes
Scotland's song that year was Del Amitri's masterpiece of melancholy, Don't Come Home Too Soon, the most downbeat, honest, and lyrical World Cup song ever written
Football and classical music might seem like unlikely bedfellows, but they share more than you'd think
The emotional crescendo of a last-minute winner is not so different from the climax of a Verdi opera
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