Why We Chant

In this episode of The World Cup, But Not Really, Rune makes the case that football chants are among the loudest and most important things humans do together. Stefan finds them unnecessarily aggressive. Rune sits down with Jorge Knijnik, Brazilian-Australian academic and lifelong football devotee, to unpack why chanting isn't just noise. It's belonging, carnival, and controlled war all at once. And Caroline Carnegie, CEO of Melbourne Victory, shares how they work with fans, stadiums, and police alike to make sure the few who cross the line don't define the many who are simply there to sing. Along the way, Rune trace the Aussie Aussie Aussie chant back to Cornish pasty sellers, and follow a Gloria Gaynor disco track through Dutch pop music to the streets of Paris. This episode is about what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself, and how chanting is how we get there.