Champions League Anthem Lyrics Translated To English Are Simply Hilarious

If you're a football fan, you will be all too familiar with the Champions League, the competition that sees the top teams in Europe battle it out to determine who is the best.

But aside from the talented footballers, the historic clubs and passionate managers, it is the pre-match anthem that makes it the spectacle it is.

The orchestral roar combined with the emotive lyrics, which switch gracefully between French, German and English, have brought tears to the eyes of many a player and fan.

However, have you ever actually taken the time to see what the lyrics mean when they're all translated into English?

Of course not. Why would you? And if you don't want to have the anthem ruined for you, I would suggest you keep it that way.

But if you fancy having everything you hold dear ripped away from you, read on.

Ahead of tonight's final between Chelsea and Manchester City in Porto, Emma Saunders, a BBC 5Live journalist, shared a translation of the lyrics.

They read: "They are the best teams

"They are the best teams

"The main event

"The master

"The best

"The great teams

"The champions

"A big meeting

"A great sporting event

"The main event

"The master

"The best

"The great teams

"The champions

"They are the best

"They are the best

"These are the champions!"

See, told you. Doesn't read too great in the ol' Queen's, does it?

If you prefer the original, though, here is the song in French, German and English, as it should be heard.

PA

"Ce sont les meilleures équipes

"Es sind die allerbesten Mannschaften

"The main event

"Die Meister

"Die Besten

"Les grandes équipes

"The champions

"Une grande réunion

"Eine grosse sportliche Veranstaltung

"The main event

"Die Meister

"Die Besten

"Les grandes équipes

"The champions

"Ils sont les meilleurs

"Sie sind die Besten

"These are the champions"

I'm getting teary just reading them.

The song was originally written by Tony Britten, a Royal College of Music graduate.

And it was performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields chorus for the 1992 launch of the redesigned European Cup competition.

Topics: Manchester City, Entertainment, Chelsea, Football, Music, Funny

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@SmithersDom