Taylor Swift made an unexpected soccer reference on Friday with the release of her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl."
The 12-track record features the song "Wi$h Li$t," in which the American pop star compares the dream of signing a contract with Real Madrid to other lofty ambitions such as winning an Oscar or the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
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"They want that freedom, living off the grid. They want those three dogs that they call their kids. And that good surf, no hypocrites. They want it all. They want a contract with Real Madrid," says the artist.
It isn't the first time Swift has crossed paths with the Spanish giants. In May 2024, she performed two sold-out shows at the Santiago Bernabéu during her Eras Tour, drawing 130,000 fans across back-to-back nights.
Real Madrid even joined in on the fun, posting the track to their social channels shortly after the album's release.
This also isn't the first time that a major musician has made mention of the team in their songs.
In 2018, Canadian rapper Drake referenced Real Madrid on his 2018 song "Blue Tint" from the album "Scorpion" when he said "I live like Ronaldo but I never been in Madrid."
Reggaeton artists, including Anuel AA and Bad Bunny, have also mentioned the club in their songs, further cementing their status into pop culture.
Other artists who mentioned Real Madrid in songs
Sergio Ramos - "Cibeles" (2025)
The former Real Madrid defender released this song as a "message" to the club he represented for 16 seasons and with which he had a bittersweet farewell in 2021. The name of this song is synonymous with the fountain where Real Madrid fans gather in the Spanish capital to celebrate winning a title.
Highlighted verses:
I gave you a crown, you gave me wings
I didn't know they were just to make me go away
And I look at you now, you're still just as beautiful
Life teaches you that no one is indispensable
Zuna & Miami Yacine - "Real Madrid" (2017)
This German rap song also uses Real Madrid as a symbol of success. Zuna and Miami Yacine present it as a symbol of greatness, comparing the team's UEFA Champions League successes to a lifestyle.
Highlighted verses:
Wir kommen wie Real Madrid
Champions-League-Sieger wie Real Madrid
("We arrived like Real Madrid. Champions League champions like Real Madrid.")
Mägo de Oz - "Soy del Madrid" (1994)
The Spanish folk metal band uses this song to celebrate their passion for Real Madrid. The song serves as an anthem for fans, evoking the club's past, boasting its track record, and mentioning some of its legendary players.
Highlighted verses:
If you're from Madrid
And you like good football
Here the 'Saeta' played
Making this team
The best in the world
Bad Nova - "Hala Madrid" (2024)
This Cameroonian urban music track pays tribute to Real Madrid, its historic motto, and the players on the squad that lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2024. It also mentions legends such as Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the club's current president, Florentino Pérez.
Highlighted verses:
Tu peux douter de tout
Ton homme ou ta femme
Doute de tout
Mais ne doute jamais du Réal Madrid
(You can doubt everything. Your man or your woman. Doubt everything. But you can never doubt Real Madrid.)
The Refrescos - "Aquí no hay playa" (1989)
The Madrid-based pop-rock and ska band implicitly includes Real Madrid in their biggest hit, which reflects with dry humor the absence of the sea in the country's capital.
Highlighted verses:
You can shout that it's the capital of Europe
You can win the League (you can win the Cup)
You'll confidently claim it's the capital of Spain
But when August comes, oh well!
There's no beach here.
Arcángel Ft. Sech - La Varita (2024)
The American singer, alongside the Panamanian, indirectly mentions Real Madrid in the song. Although some of the lyrics refer to a "Bicho" (Cristiano Ronaldo's nickname), the clearest reference to the Merengue team is to Florentino Pérez, the club's president.
Highlighted verses:
Tell me, come to my VIP
And leave that little bug-sniffing (bicho) guy
Florentino, I'll sign you, yeah, wow
She had a boyfriend, but he's free now
Anuel Ft. Ozuna - Perfecto (2021)
Anuel has repeatedly stated that he's a soccer fan, especially Spanish soccer. He references his love of the game in several of his songs, such as the one he released in 2021 with Ozuna, in which he recalls Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid.
Highlighted verses:
I lost you like when Cristiano left Real Madrid for Juve
Los Planetas - The Real Madrid Artist (2002)
Jota, the frontman of the Spanish band, is known for his anti-Madrid sentiment, which he captures in the song released in 2002. The lyrics refer to the refereeing controversies that have plagued Real Madrid throughout its history.
Highlighted verses:
Because the Real Madrid artist is here
That the referees almost always whistle in his favor
White hunters with black hearts
You should bet on the winning horse