World Cup 2026

Which players does Shakira’s World Cup 2026 song Dai Dai mention? And who is ‘El Pibe’?

The Colombian singer is back with another anthem, paying tribute to some of soccer’s biggest legends, but one nickname may be less familiar.

Calum Roche

Managing Editor AS USA

Sports-lover turned journalist, born and bred in Scotland, with a passion for football (soccer). He’s also a keen follower of NFL, NBA, golf and tennis, among others, and always has an eye on the latest in science, tech and current affairs. As Managing Editor at AS USA, uses background in operations and marketing to drive improvements for reader satisfaction.

Update: Jun 9th, 2026 09:45 EDT

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Shakira has made a habit of becoming part of World Cup history. After the global success of Waka Waka in 2010 and La La La in 2014 – not to mention a rather high-profile relationship with a certain winner over that period – the Colombian superstar is back with Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

To say that my young daughter enjoys it is an understatement the likes of describing Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’ against England in 1986 as “a decent run.” So, given that she was so keen to understand more about the players mentioned in the lyrics – “What do you mean you don’t know who Maldini is?” – I thought I’d help out other parents in similar situations and newbies to The Beautiful Game.

The upbeat anthem has been on car-journey repeat of late, mixes Japanese, Spanish, French and English phrases – Dai, dai, ikou, dale, allez, let’s go – while celebrating the sport’s biggest stars and nations.

But one line in particular may have fans asking the question: Who exactly is ‘El Pibe’?

The soccer legends named in Shakira’s Dai Dai

Near the end of the song, Shakira, and now my enthusiastic 9-year-old, rolls through a list of iconic players.

“Pelé, Maradona, Maldini, Romário, Cristiano... Ronaldo”

Note here that she pauses between the last two names, neatly allowing, I believe, for both the Portuguese and Brazilian greats to slide in. She continues.

“El Pibe, Iniesta, Beckham y Kaká; Messi, Mbappé, Salah”

To clarify, the players referenced are as follows, with links to add background to any you’re unsure of:

The list spans multiple generations, from World Cup-winning legends such as Pelé and Maradona to current stars like Messi, Cristiano, Mbappé and Salah. The latter four are all featuring at the 2026 edition, three likely to say goodbye to it thereafter.

Who is ‘El Pibe’?

The one player who made the lyrics with just the nickname ‘El Pibe" is Carlos Valderrama, one of Colombia’s most famous players.

He became instantly recognizable thanks to his distinctive blond curly hair – “How could he play with that on his head?” cries a certain daughter – but his reputation was built on much more than his appearance. Widely regarded as one of the greatest playmakers of his era, he represented Colombia at the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups and made 111 appearances for his national team.

What does El Pibe mean?

The nickname translates roughly as ‘The Kid’ or ‘The Boy’ in Spanish, and for many Colombians, Valderrama remains the face of the country’s soccer history.

Given Shakira’s Colombian roots, his inclusion is hardly surprising.

See who from the list you can spot in this FIFA montage:

There is no greater feeling. It's finally here. #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ZuyngmKXb5
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 9, 2026

Countries named in Shakira’s Dai Dai

The anthem also gives a shoutout to several nations, although she only had time to squeeze in 14 of the 48 appearing this summer:

Brazil
Uruguay
Argentina
Colombia
United States
England
Germany
France
South Africa
Spain
Mexico
Japan
South Korea
Netherlands

Together, the player and country references help turn Dai Dai into a celebration of soccer’s global history, with one special nod to Colombia’s own ‘El Pibe.’

“Oh-eh-oh-eh (oh-eh)... Let’s go!”