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Juan Gabriel & Los Tucanes de Tijuana were among fan favorites.
7/6/2026
Juan Gabriel durante un concierto de su gira Volver el 28 de septiembre de 2014 en Oakland, California. C Flanigan/FilmMagic
In the context of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mexican fans have proven to be the hosts of joy and celebration. The massive gatherings at the Ángel de la Independencia, an iconic monument representing Mexico City, have gained worldwide attention. Additionally, the music chosen by people to accompany their posts on social media has become a phenomenon.
Songs like “La Chona” by Los Tucanes de Tijuana, “Payaso de Rodeo” by Caballo Dorado, “El Sonidito” by Hechizeros Band, “Hasta Que Te Conocí” by Juan Gabriel, and “Esto es México” by Coray have gone viral organically, despite not being part of the tournament’s official album.
Even more surprising is that four of them were released over three decades ago and remain relevant today.
The fifth song, “Esto es México,” is a special case. It is a track written shortly before the start of the sporting event, with lyrics that perfectly capture the essence of the Mexican spirit: “They never back down on the field/ Here we play with honor/ Let the whole stadium roar/ When the Tricolor shouts.”
The music video on YouTube has amassed over 5.7 million views, and its rapid popularity even reached the presidency, with President Claudia Sheinbaum naming it one of her favorites.
These spontaneous anthems dominated playlists, becoming a reflection of the mood of one of the host countries, which ended its participation on Sunday (July 5) after losing 3–2 to England in the round of 16.
Below is the story behind the five songs that Mexico made viral during the World Cup.
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Hechizeros Band, “El Sonidito”
Keyboards, bass, drums, and percussion were enough to create this instrumental techno-cumbia released in 2008 by Hechizeros Band. “El Sonidito” would become the one-hit wonder of the group from Nayarit, about which little is known after the success they achieved. What is certain is that the track has remained timeless, becoming an essential at celebrations. Despite its simplicity in musical structure, with its changes in rhythm and intensity, it creates a rollercoaster of emotions, making it incredibly fun.
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Coray, “Esto es México”
Shortly before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a song titled “Esto es México” caught attention, written by an unknown artist at the time. The vocabulary and, above all, the message capturing the essence of Mexico and its people quickly made it trend on social media. It was later revealed that the artist was a young man from the city of León, Guanajuato, who goes by the name Coray, with his real name being Emmanuel Armando Centeno.
The DJ combined popular phrases and colloquial words with a catchy rhythm, achieving such success that President Claudia Scheinbaum declared it her favorite song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — a fact that led to it being played at every match involving Mexico. Centeno was invited by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Mikel Arriola, President of the Mexican Football Federation, to the Estadio Ciudad de México to recognize his talent and award his achievement.
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Juan Gabriel, “Hasta que te conocí”
It only took embracing the musical bridge accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra to turn it into a hymn of hope and capture the sentiment in social media posts. The song is part of the historic performances by Juan Gabriel that took place between May 9 and 12, 1990, when he became the first popular music artist to receive permission to perform at the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) in Mexico City, a venue traditionally reserved for symphony orchestras.
The live album was released in December of the same year, and was given a Lo Mejor en Bellas Artes 40 Aniversario reissue in 2014. It was from this reissue that the song was taken and made viral, which prompted the movie theater chain Cinemex to announce that it would screen the entire concert in its theaters. On November 8, 2025, the concert was projected for free at Mexico City’s Zócalo in an event that gathered 170,000 attendees.
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Los Tucanes de Tijuana, “La Chona”
One of the most iconic songs by the norteño music group is also an anthem that fans have made their own. “La Chona” was released in 1995 and tells the story of a woman who became famous for never missing a dance. Written by Mario Quintero, the group’s leader, the song has amassed over 395 million streams on Spotify alone, and has been heard on prestigious stages such as Coachella in 2019, when Los Tucanes successfully performed at the festival, and EDC, where they were invited by DJ Deorro in Las Vegas in 2025.
“La Chona” has been part of football celebrations since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when groups of Mexicans gathered inside and outside the stadiums. Currently, the famous song is being played live in Europe during the group’s tour, including two performances as guests of Pitbull in the United Kingdom.
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Caballo Dorado, “Payaso de rodeo”
There’s no party in Mexico where “Payaso de Rodeo” isn’t danced to since its release in 1998, when the group formed in Chihuahua rose to fame playing country music. Their first hit, the Spanish version of Don Von Tress’ “Achy Breaky Heart,” opened the door for them to continue a successful streak, not only with songs but also with choreography that would become as popular as the melodies themselves.
The group continued their career, albeit with less momentum. However, nearly three decades after its debut, different generations have taken it upon themselves to keep it alive. Recently, Caballo Dorado was invited to the Fan Festival in Monterrey, marking a new milestone in their history; according to organizers, more than 100,000 people danced and sang along to the song during their performance.
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