The reggaeton artist puts Latin flavor to a rock classic
Do you need a global superstar for a sports anthem? It seems that Coca-Cola already has the answer. Colombian star J Balvin is one of the faces of the new version of Van Halen’s ‘Jump’, the official theme for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The proposal came last year and, at first, the artist was a little…thing. It’s not just any song.
“I’m very cautious when it comes to songs like this. It’s like playing the Mona Lisa,” Balvin commented.
But in the end, he accepted the challenge. Together with drummer Travis Barker, singer Amber Mark and guitarist Steve Vai, he put together a reinterpretation with a key twist: his contributions in Spanish.
A puzzle with a football flavor
The biggest difference is in what he added. He wrote a new verse over production he describes as “Brazilian funk with hard strings, kind of like hip hop.”
“‘Jump’ is not a football song,” he said of the original. “That’s why I had to put the Latin love and passion for soccer (in the lyrics).”
In his part he raps: “Football is our language / Here we are all my people”. For him, the message of unity is key, especially now.
“Hopefully this administration opens its mind and sees that this is a global event. This is for all of us,” said Balvin, referring to the current political climate in the US.
The song is now available. It was released through Coca-Cola’s new in-house label, Real Thing Records, and has an anime-style video that seeks to reflect that global cultural interest.
So now you know: when ‘Jump’ is played in 2026, part of it will have a Paisa accent. Balvin put his shoulder – and the verses – into this classic.
