The “I believe that we will win” chant has become synonymous with the US Soccer Men’s National Team throughout the team’s run at the 2014 World Cup. It’s played during commercials and promotional items for the team’s games, and fans have picked up on it as a way of showing support for the team.
But did you know that the chant originated with the Naval Academy?
ESPN ran a special on the history of the “I believe” chant and they say it all started in the Navy.
According to ESPN, “I Believe” was written by Navy pilot Jay Rodriguez in 1998. Rodriguez passed along the chant to Corey Strong, who was a cheerleader for the Naval Academy from 1999-2003. Strong says he first led fans in the chant during the fourth quarter of the 1999 Army-Navy football game, which Navy won 19-9.
The chant spread from the Naval Academy to high schools, colleges and the MLS, and it has now become the song associated with the men’s national soccer team.
If you haven’t heard enough of the song now, just wait until after this tournament ends; you’ll be hearing it everywhere in sports now that it’s received so much exposure.
