Dai Dai lyrics blend five languages, seven football legends, and a stadium-built chant into the official 2026 FIFA World Cup song. Released May 14, 2026, the Shakira and Burna Boy track sends a single message: rise, believe, and play the way you know how.
This is a complete breakdown of the Dai Dai lyrics, what each section means, the 5-language chorus translation, and every football star named in the song.
Dai Dai Song Quick Facts
| Song title | Dai Dai |
| Artists | Shakira (lead), Burna Boy (featured) |
| Length | Nearly 4 minutes |
| Release date | May 14, 2026 |
| Label | Sony Music Latin / SME US LATIN LLC |
| Languages | English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, French |
| Football legends named | 7 |
| Countries name-checked | 5 |
| Official role | FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Song |
What Dai Dai Means
“Dai Dai” comes from an Italian phrase meaning “come on, come on” or “go, go.” Shakira chose it as the song’s title because it works in three ways at once: as encouragement, as a stadium chant, and as a celebration.
The title appears in the chorus as the opening word of a five-language chant that runs through the whole song.
The 5-Language Chorus Chant Translated
The song’s signature chant blends five different languages into one stadium-ready line. The full chant goes:
“Dai, dai, Ikó, dale, allez, let’s go”
Each word means roughly the same thing in a different tongue, designed for fans across continents to sing together.
| Word | Language | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dai, dai | Italian | come on, come on |
| Ikó | Japanese (from 行こう, ikou) | let’s go |
| Dale | Spanish | go ahead, come on |
| Allez | French | go, let’s go |
| Let’s go | English | self-explanatory |
The line repeats throughout the song. It is the most multilingual chorus chant in FIFA World Cup anthem history, reflecting the global reach of the first three-nation tournament across the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Dai Dai Lyrics Structure
The song moves through nine sections in under four minutes, alternating between Shakira and Burna Boy:
- Intro and Bridge are wordless call-and-response moments built for stadium crowds
- Refrain and Pre-Chorus carry the song’s core message about self-belief and the long road
- Verses 1, 2, and 3 see Burna Boy and Shakira trade leads on resilience, energy, and glory
- Chorus shifts into Spanish for the song’s most pointed line
- Outro repeats the pre-chorus to leave one final instruction in your head
Each section is broken down in detail below.
Dai Dai Lyrics Section by Section
Intro
The song opens with wordless vocalizations from both artists:
“Oh-eh-oh-eh, eh-oh-eh”
The pattern is pure call-and-response, designed to be sung by stadium crowds before any language barrier kicks in. It is the same opening trick Shakira used at the start of “Waka Waka” sixteen years ago. No words, no translation needed, just rhythm and breath.
Refrain: You Are Built for This
The opening refrain delivers the song’s core message in four short lines:
“You knew from the day you were born That here in this place you belong You been this brave all along What broke you once made you strong”
This is athlete-coded lyrics. Every line works as encouragement for World Cup players, but the message stays universal enough that any listener facing a challenge hears it as their own. The construction follows a simple emotional arc: identity, belonging, courage, and resilience.
The closing line about being broken and made stronger is the song’s thesis. It echoes the same comeback theme that runs through Burna Boy’s own catalog, which is why he was the right featured artist for this track.
Verse 1: Burna Boy Opens the Story
Burna Boy delivers the first full verse, with Shakira responding. The opening lines lay out the song’s central image:
“Come follow your desire Where there’s a will, there’s a way”
The verse then builds through motivational themes: a person owning their fire, sweat and blood writing their story, paving the way to glory. By the end, the listener is told they are only one step away from the top. It is a classic motivational structure, pre-game speech in song form.
Burna Boy’s delivery on this verse is the most distinctly Afrobeats moment of the track. The phrasing rides the rhythm rather than fighting it.
Pre-Chorus: The Long Road
The pre-chorus addresses the journey to get to this point:
“All the highs and lows All the tears and the pain You been there through it all, been through it all Just do it again”
Shakira and Burna Boy trade lines, building toward the idea that the listener has already survived everything they need to survive. The “just do it again” line is the emotional pivot: this is not the first time you have done this, so do not be afraid of doing it once more.
The section closes with the line about living a dream at the top of your game, the song’s most direct nod to professional athletes preparing for the World Cup itself.
Chorus: Spanish Call to Remember Your Worth
The chorus shifts into Spanish for its most pointed message:
“Dale, no olvide’ lo que vales Juega como tú sabes Como tú sabe'”
The Spanish translates roughly to: “Go on, don’t forget what you’re worth. Play the way you know how. The way you know.”
This is the most Shakira section of the song. The Spanish chorus works on two levels: a direct message to Latin American World Cup teams (six of which qualified for 2026), and a universal reminder to anyone listening. The dropped final s on “olvide'” and “sabe'” reflects Colombian Spanish phrasing, marking the song as unmistakably hers.
Right before this Spanish line, Shakira sings the English transition:
“Feel it, got everything you needed Now bring it like you mean it”
That pair of lines acts as the bridge from internal belief (the verses) to external action (the Spanish chorus). It is the song’s structural hinge.
Verse 2: Energy is Contagious
The second verse focuses on collective energy:
“Energy is contagious, you know And it never fails no, no No one’s getting tired, I know ‘Cause you got that fire, ayo”
The message: when one player or fan brings fire, it carries to everyone around them. The verse ends with the line about dreaming higher, leading into the bridge.
This verse is the most stadium-coded section in the song. It is written to be sung along with by 80,000 people at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
Bridge
A short wordless bridge from Shakira:
“Ayo, Ayo”
That is the entire bridge. Two syllables, repeated. It functions as a breath and a hand-off, taking the song from the second chorus into the third verse where Burna Boy returns to lead.
Verse 3: From Dirt to Gold
Burna Boy returns to lead the third verse, with Shakira backing. The image here is the most powerful in the song:
“We’ve taken all that our hearts can hold We can’t hold on to the past no more From the dirt and the tears, we make gold We are more than flesh and bones”
The verse argues that humans are not defined by their pasts or by physical limits. “From the dirt and the tears, we make gold” is the line most directly tied to football’s underdog stories: teams that have lost, players who came from nothing, fans who believed when no one else did.
This is also the verse most likely to be quoted by sports broadcasters during the tournament. It is short enough for a graphic, profound enough for a montage.
Outro Pre-Chorus
The song closes by repeating the same pre-chorus message about highs, lows, and doing it again. The repetition is a Shakira anthem trademark, designed to be the last line stuck in your head when the song ends. The track fades on the “just do it again” hook, leaving the listener with a single instruction: try one more time.
Football Legends Named in Dai Dai
Seven of the sport’s biggest names get shoutouts in the song. Each is named in the back half of the track during the legends sequence.
| Player | Country | Era |
|---|---|---|
| Diego Maradona | Argentina | 1980s World Cup icon |
| Paolo Maldini | Italy | 1990s defensive legend |
| Romário | Brazil | 1994 World Cup winner |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Modern era goal record holder |
| David Beckham | England | 2000s global football icon |
| Kaká | Brazil | 2007 Ballon d’Or winner |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 2022 World Cup winner |
The choice of seven covers four decades of football history. It also balances Latin America (Maradona, Romário, Kaká, Messi) with Europe (Maldini, Ronaldo, Beckham), matching the song’s cross-continental musical blend.
Notably absent: any active 2026 squad players. The list focuses on established legends only.
Countries Mentioned in the Lyrics
Five participating nations are name-checked in the song.
- Brazil, five-time World Cup champions and Burna Boy’s musical kin via samba and Afrobeat fusion
- Argentina, defending 2022 champions and home of Messi and Maradona
- Colombia, Shakira’s home country
- United States, co-host nation that opens up North American football culture
- Netherlands, three-time finalists and the only European nation singled out
The mix matches Shakira and Burna Boy’s combined fan geography. It also includes both host (USA) and recent-finalist (Argentina, Netherlands) nations.
Dai Dai vs Waka Waka Lyrics
Shakira’s two World Cup anthems share a structure but differ in voice.
| Lyric Feature | Waka Waka (2010) | Dai Dai (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Languages | English, Spanish, Zulu chant | English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, French |
| Core message | “This time for Africa” | “You been this brave all along” |
| Football legends named | 0 | 7 |
| Countries named | 0 | 5 |
| Chorus chant | “Tsamina mina, eh eh, Waka Waka, eh eh” | “Dai, dai, Ikó, dale, allez, let’s go” |
| Featured artist contribution | Freshlyground chorus harmony | Burna Boy full verses |
Dai Dai is the more specific song. Waka Waka was a continental anthem. Dai Dai is a player’s anthem, written for the individual stories that make up the tournament.
Where to Read the Full Official Dai Dai Lyrics
The full official Dai Dai lyrics are hosted on:
- Genius (with annotations)
- AZLyrics
- Apple Music (built into the streaming page)
- Spotify (built into the streaming page)
For the song’s streaming links, music video, halftime show news, and full background, see our Dai Dai by Shakira and Burna Boy guide.
FAQ About Dai Dai Lyrics
What is the chorus of Dai Dai?
The chorus repeats a five-language chant: “Dai, dai, Ikó, dale, allez, let’s go.” Each word means roughly “come on” or “let’s go” in Italian, Japanese, Spanish, French, and English.
Are the Dai Dai lyrics in English or Spanish?
Both, plus three other languages. The verses are mostly in English. The chorus shifts to Spanish for the line about remembering your worth. The title chant blends Italian, Japanese, Spanish, French, and English.
What does the Spanish part of Dai Dai mean?
The Spanish chorus translates roughly to: “Go on, don’t forget what you’re worth. Play the way you know how, the way you know.” The phrasing reflects Colombian Spanish.
Which football players are mentioned in Dai Dai?
Seven legends: Diego Maradona, Paolo Maldini, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Kaká, and Lionel Messi.
What does the Dai Dai bridge say?
The bridge is wordless. Shakira delivers a short “Ayo, Ayo” vocal that transitions the song from the second chorus into the third verse.
Who wrote Dai Dai?
Songwriter and producer credits are pending full release through ASCAP and BMI databases. The song is released through Sony Music Latin / SME US LATIN LLC, with Shakira and Burna Boy as the credited performing artists.
