When Arsenal striker Kai Havertz stepped up to take a penalty against Bournemouth last season, it felt like his career was a crossroads. The German forward had joined Arsenal from their London rivals Chelsea for a hefty £60 million transfer fee, but he still hadn’t found the back of the net. And critics were questioning whether all that money had been a waste.

But when Havertz smashed the penalty into the bottom left corner and wheeled away to celebrate, 40,000 Arsenal supporters erupted into a brand new song—a remix of Shakira’s 2010 World Cup hit “Waka Waka,” with new, bespoke lyrics: “sixty million down the drain, Kai Havertz scores again.”

The Arsenal fans were serenading their new striker and laughing at his critics by saying: “who’s a waste of money now?”

This bizarre scene exemplifies a European football tradition that has evolved into a folk art form over decades, particularly in the English Premier League. Every weekend, supporters fill stadiums with complex, often witty songs that blend pop culture with football passion—creating a soundscape unlike anything in American sports.