Muchachos: The Lyrics and Story of Argentina’s World Cup Song

Argentina’s men’s national team and its fans have had plenty to sing about in Qatar. They’ve booked a place in Sunday’s World Cup final against reigning champion France, and the spirit surrounding La Albiceleste has been vigorous throughout the competition, as they go in search of their first World Cup title since 1986 and their third overall.

A rallying cry has followed the players and fans wherever they’ve gone, and if you’ve watched any Argentina match or looked for footage from the stands at the stadiums, you’ve undoubtedly caught wind of “Muchachos,” the song that has become the team’s soundtrack.

It originated from Argentine band La Mosca Tsé–Tsé’s “Muchachos, Esta Noche Me Emborracho” (Boys, Tonight I’ll Get Drunk) and evolved into “Muchachos, Ahora Nos Volvimos a Ilusionar” (Boys, Now We’re Excited Again) after being reworked and reworded for La Albiceleste by a fan named Fernando Romero in July 2021 as Argentina embarked on a run to the Copa América title in Brazil. La Mosca lead singer Guillermo Novellis re-recorded the song with Romero’s lyrics just before the World Cup, according to an interview he gave to Billboard, and it’s taken off from there. Argentina players have been videoed celebrating by singing the song and dancing to it in the locker room and on the field after a victory, and during Tuesday’s semifinal against Croatia, players on the bench joined the chorus of fans in Lusail in belting it out as Argentina put the finishing touches on its elimination of Croatia.

Novellis told Billboard that the inspiration to record the adaptation “was something that our manager Santiago Ruiz pushed. We recorded it, and then a couple of weeks before the World Cup, they interviewed Messi and asked him what his favorite song was. He said ‘Muchachos’ and actually sang it. I mean, it’s like arriving in Rome and being introduced to the Pope.”

Messi and Diego Maradona, whose spirit is all over Argentina’s World Cup run, feature prominently in the song. Translated, the lyrics read:

I was born in Argentina
Land of Diego and Lionel
From the kids of Malvinas
that I will never forget
But that's over
Because in the Maracana the final with the Brazucas was won again by dad
Boys,
Now we got excited again
I want to win the third
I want to be world champion
And we can see Diego in heaven
With don Diego and with la Tota
Cheering on Lionel
Boys,
Now we got excited again
I want to win the third
I want to be world champion
And we can see Diego in heaven
With don Diego and with la Tota
Cheering on Lionel
And be champions again
And be champions again

In the original Spanish:

En Argentina nací
Tierra de Diego y Lionel
De los pibes de Malvinas
Que jamás olvidaré
Pero eso se terminó
Porque en el Maracaná la final con los Brazucas la volvió a ganar papá
Muchachos
Ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar
Quiero ganar la tercera,
Quiero ser campeón mundial
Y al Diego en cielo lo podemos ver
Con don Diego y con la Tota
Alentandolo a Lionel
Muchachos,
Ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar
Quiero ganar la tercera
Quiero ser campeón mundial
Y al Diego en cielo lo podemos ver
Con don Diego y con la Tota
Alentandolo a Lionel
Y ser campeones otra vez
Y ser campeones otra vez

If Argentina manages to dethrone Les Bleus, you can be sure you’ll be hearing plenty of “Muchachos” during and after what would be a crowning achievement.