“Loser mentality”: Kelce brothers call out US soccer chants

On their “New Heights” podcast, Jason and Travis Kelce took aim at one of the most disappointing parts of American soccer culture - its chants - and compared them to what they’ve heard from fans around the world.

“I believe that we can win… is the most loser mentality chant I have ever heard,” Jason said, recalling his experience at a World Cup match. “What are we here for?”

Travis agreed, noting that while Americans tend to keep things upbeat and supportive, fans in countries like Brazil bring a completely different energy.

The American approach: simple, positive… and safe

If you’ve been to a U.S. men’s national team match, you already know the hits: “USA! USA!” and “I believe that we can win!” or simply, “go, team!”

They’re easy, unified, and family-friendly. They’re also, as the Kelces joked, a little… polite. American chants tend to focus on self-belief and encouragement, not intimidation or humor. There’s very little edge, very little creativity, and almost no bite directed at opponents.

That’s a stark contrast to what happens elsewhere.

England: witty, ruthless, and personal

In the UK, especially in England, chanting is practically an art form. Fans don’t just cheer for their own team. They target opposing players, managers, and even entire cities with chants that are clever, cutting, and often hilarious. They are famous for being darkly funny, insulting, and deeply specific.

A classic example: “Your support is f***ing s***t”(clapped rhythmically at away fans). Or more tailored chants aimed at specific players, often referencing scandals, mistakes, or even personal lives.

There’s also the iconic: “Football’s coming home” - a hopeful anthem, yes, but one delivered with a mix of irony, pride, and decades of heartbreak baked in.

English chants are interactive and improvisational. They evolve in real time and often walk the line between funny and brutal. A few more examples...

“You’re just a shit [team name]”

• One of the most common terrace chants in England.
• Example: “You’re just a shit Arsenal” (sung by Tottenham fans)

“Who are ya?”

• Mock chant aimed at unknown or underperforming players.

“Stand up if you hate [rival team]”

• Simple, aggressive, and crowd-wide participation.

“Sign on, sign on…”

• Sung by rivals to mock unemployment stereotypes (historically used in Liverpool vs Manchester rivalries).

Brazil: rhythm, drums, and nonstop noise

Brazilian fans bring a completely different style. While the Kelce brothers pointed out a chant that went something like “we will f*** you up,” the Brazilian chants are known more for their energy, rhythm, and spectacle.

In Brazil, chanting isn’t just chanting. It’s singing. Supporters often chant continuously, backed by drums and coordinated movement, turning entire sections of the stadium into something closer to a street carnival. Even simple phrases feel electric when repeated with rhythm and swagger.

Some more examples...

“Eu sou brasileiro, com muito orgulho, com muito amor”

• “I am Brazilian, with a lot of pride and love.”
• Repeated rhythmically like a wave.

“Olé, olé, olé” variations

• Often layered with samba drums and instruments.

Club chants (Flamengo, Corinthians, etc.)

• Long-form songs that can last entire halves, built around percussion and repetition.

As Travis Kelce noted, even a chant that loosely translates to something like “we came here to have fun” carries more confidence than America’s cautious optimism.

Argentina and South America: passion turned all the way up

Across South America, chants get louder, longer, and more intense. Argentine fans, in particular, are known for chants that can go on for minutes at a time, full songs with melodies borrowed from pop music, rewritten into stadium anthems.

They celebrate their own team while simultaneously mocking opponents, often with explicit language and zero restraint.

It’s emotional, it’s theatrical, and it’s unapologetically aggressive.

So why is the U.S. so different?

Part of it comes down to culture. American sports traditions, especially in the NFL and NBA, rely more on music, scoreboards, and in-game entertainment than organic fan-led chanting.

There’s also a tendency toward family-friendly environments, which naturally limits how crude or confrontational chants become. And then there’s the relative youth of soccer culture in the U.S. compared to countries where fan traditions have developed over generations.

The Kelce takeaway: maybe it’s time to get louder

The Kelce brothers weren’t just making fun of U.S. chants though. They were calling for change. American fans show up. They care. They’re passionate. But compared to the rest of the world, they’re still holding back.

As Travis joked, maybe it’s time to swap: “I believe that we can win…” for something with a little more edge. Because the World Cup has arrived in the USA, and the chants are now part of the competition.

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