I grew up watching football during the nineties and I can still catch certain songs on the radio that take me back to different times in that decade and my thoughts always linger on football.

I was just six in 1990 and the World Cup was new to me. I remember a few things from Italia 90.

Claudio Caniggia getting hacked down by the Cameroon, Colombia keeper Rene Higuita’s antics outside of his own penalty area, Roberto Baggio’s solo goal against Czechoslovakia and a poor final.

I also remember the operatic song that seemed to fit the event perfectly. Giacomo Puccini’s Nessun Dorma might have been first performed in the 1920s but it was in 1990 performed by the sensational Luciano Pavarotti that really brought the song to the world!

Sky knew that they had to make the Premier League work in the early nineties and if it wasn’t for the broadcaster then the English top flight would never be what it is today!

A big hook for potential customers to show that the landscape had changed and that football was more Hollywood was Sky’s TV advert to plug their new product.

Today we all know that songs and adverts work wonders but back then it wasn’t so straight forward. The ad used Alive and Kicking by Simple Minds. It get’s the hairs on the back of your neck standing up and you sense the excitement building.

Every time I hear this song it takes me right back to the birth of the Premier League, it creates such a strong memory!

If Sky opened my eyes to the strength of advertising and music in the world of football, then Nike hammered the point home.

My favourite 90s nike song has to be ‘Mas Que Nada’ by Tamba Trio used in the awesome airport commercial featuring the Brazilian national team.

It was used to help build up for the 98 World Cup and had great players like Ronaldo, Romario and Roberto Carlos in its the stars. It sucked everyone in and it must have helped Nike sell so many strips, t-shirts and balls. I know I bought that lot!

Talking of the World Cup in France 98 and you cannot forget Dario G’s Caranval de Paris.

A bit of an electronic dance number it uses plenty of instruments from the countries that took part in that tournament. It also weirdly had people painted head to toe in the countries colours kicking a football about in their video.

Was successful in the UK charts, peaking at number five, and anytime I hear it I go back to the summer of 98′ and see myself wearing my Jamaica strip.

Finally I’ve selected The Rockafeller Skank from Fatboy Slim.

The other thing music did in the 90s regarding football was bring football computer games to life. EA Sports’ FIFA series were the ones that caught onto this phenomenon and by the late 90s they managed to get some of the best artists onto their games.

The FIFA playlists were almost talked about as much as the graphics and playability.

This tune from Fatboy Slim sticks out as the one I associate most with playing FIFA. The other audio is obviously ‘EA Sports… It’s in the game!‘.

 

Please leave the 90s songs that take you back to a footballing memory in the comments section.

Posted on August 5th, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article, Video