Grime and football have always enjoyed a special relationship, with family and friendship ties between MCs and players and a long history of football referencing in lyrics.
Football bars are one of the most popular genres for UK lyricists, so the wealth of material to try and remember made this a difficult list to compile.
As such, make sure you let us know any of your favourites that we may have forgotten!
1. I was shooting Dele in the Alli from an Eriksen, age 16 picking Harry up – P Money
P Money loves a football reference, and he might not have a better one than this. Although you’ll be able to make your own mind up about that as we get further through the list…
2. Know what history is, some distant kids surrounded by risky shit / I smoke a spliff that’s big then I’m feeling on top of the world like Bobby Moore in ’66 – Devlin
There’s less wordplay going on here than in many of the other lyrics included, but this is signature Devlin.
3. Doing Giggs after games like his sister-in-law – Kamakaze
Given Kamakaze’s status as both MC and professional footballer, he’s in a position where he’s perhaps the only person that could make this line work.
4. Call me a Rude Kid or a Maniac but beats? I ain’t Sherringham like Teddy / The only thing I Wilshere like Jack is lyrics – JME
This one definitely surprised a lot of people who thought JME didn’t like football.
5. Yeah we fucking party / middle fingers up like fuck the Tory party / they’re about as far right wing as Nani / so we start riots like we just lost the derby – Cas
Politics and football in one? Winning.
6. You wanna play games? 11-a-side / Man Unite with the devil and strike / I’m in another Man’s City, no home advantage / One shot, man’ll bring out his feminine side / So go ahead, cross me / I’m up front, one touch, bang / Palacio on the back of the dome / My enemies must not have any goals / I catch man in my zone, what is it? / Death penalty – Ghetts
Just when you think the football references are over, they keep on coming.
7. Yeah I’m Savage, Robbie / I got a team in the blue and I’m the boss, Ancelotti – Don Strapzy
Strapzy uses his Lewisham roots to make a comparison with Chelsea, who ended up winning the league that season.
8. FA Cup flow, might be on the same pitch but we ain’t in the same league – Bashy
Bashy always sets the levels and his spot on the Ain’t On Nuttin remix was no different.
9. My man are United like Giggs, I will never leave my Young Gunners like Thierry – Skepta
This one had all the Arsenal fans shedding a tear.
10. Couple man can’t hack it / gotta turn criminal / bore you in your organs / leave you in a Liverpool – Eyez
The whole freestyle is packed full of football references, much like many of Eyez’ freestyles.
11. I’m a fucking wrong’un / Selling bitches, selling pollen / Selling sniff so take a whiff / Clear your lines like Jan Vertonghen – CAS
Drugs and football are two things CASisDEAD is at the top of his game when rapping about.
12. LS’s a left striker / MCs get Blaised like Matuidi / Tekkers are Manuel like Lanzini / Man wanna bread, what a panini / Goku’s wife, them man are Chichi / I’m the Lyrical Streezy / That’s why your girl’s on my balls / She can get the sack, like Manuel Pellegrini – Lyrical Strally
For another classic football bar take the freestyle above back 15 seconds from where we started it.
13. When I cut she said Man U flopped / I said shut up you know you want this Di Maria – P Money
14. Way back I used to break up Kane / But it got hot so I switched to the Harry / Back then I was doing Zs and halves want it in the box then pass through Alli / Got nicked thought that I wouldn’t get bail like yo dog how could you lose Dembeles / Trust me I need to Drinkwater but I’m high with Ramsey drinking Remy – Little Dee
From the same song as above, the OGz take their lyrics and their football very seriously.
