We’ve all watched our favorite players clambering down the stairs of the team bus looking relaxed and prepared, the very visage of concentration.
Making their way into the bowels of the stadium to make their final preparations before the match, there’s always one constant in their appearance: headphones.
The staple of the modern athlete, these hulking contraptions, along with a carefully crafted pre-game soccer playlist, blot out any external noise, allowing our heroes to stay focused on the task at hand.
In the face of thousands of screaming fans, rolling cameras and lightbulb flashes they remain completely detached from it all. How do they achieve such a zen-like state in the face of such strenuous circumstances?
The answer is in the tunes, of course.
Music is a powerful tool, affecting your body’s emotional state in a way that directly translates to on-field performance. Accordingly, music (i.e., a well-tuned soccer playlist) plays a huge role in pre and postgame rituals of the world's greatest soccer players.
Capturing the musical tastes and interests of soccer’s greatest players gives us an excellent insight into how they operate. Whether it’s an inclination towards island inspired reggae, an EDM induced trance or the steely guitar of classic rock, these jams have got you covered
Here’s the ultimate pre-game soccer playlist as chosen by some of the world’s greatest players to stay positive, motivated and prepared in the face of overwhelming pressure. (And for those of you who want to listen to this playlist just like your soccer heroes, fear not. Cristiano Ronaldo has just announced the release of his Monster Roc headphones with audio company Monster. Because, of couse he has.)
And, if you want more great pre-game tracks, check out our compilation of the greatest soccer pre-game pump up tracks of all time.
Pre-Game Soccer Playlist and Player Tracklisting
1. Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz
Kris Commons - Celtic FC and Scotland
2. Dejan S - Missing You
Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid and Portugal
3. Sergio Mendes - Mas Que Nada
Ronaldinho - Fluminense FC and Brazil
4. A$AP Rocky - 1Train
Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake and US Men's National Team
5. Drake - Hotline Bling
Daniel Sturridge - Liverpool FC and England
6. Michel Teló - Ai Se Eu Te Pego
Neymar - Barcelona and Brazil
7. Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta
Lauren Holiday - Former FC Kansas City and US Women's National Team
8. Los Cafres - Hijo
Lionel Messi - Barcelona and Argentina
9. NaS - It Ain't Hard To Tell
Tim Howard - Everton and US Men's National Team
10. Eminem - Legacy
Wayne Rooney - Manchester United and England
11. Timbuktu - Resten av ditt liv
Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Paris Saint-German and Sweden
12. Kasabian - Club Foot
Andres Iniesta - Barcelona and Spain
13. Lil Wayne - Drop The World
Christen Press - Chicago Red Stars and US Women's National Team
14. Para One - You Too
Bradley Wright-Phillips - New York Red Bulls
15. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
Christie Rampone - Sky Blue FC and US Women's National Team
Blast this pre-game playlist in the locker room before your next match for a guaranteed 'W'.
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