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What is the Champions League music? Who wrote the UEFA anthem?
THE Champions League music is some of the most exciting music for football fans - but where did it come from?
Offical UEFA Champions League anthem
What is the Champions League music?
The music that plays before every Champions League match as the players line up on the pitch is often misidentified as George Frideric Handel's Zadok the Priest.
That piece was written in 1727 for the coronation of King George II.
The Champions League music has twice been sung by Andrea Bocelli
However, the official UEFA Champions League anthem is a bespoke piece of music composed for the competition, which takes an influence from Handel's famous piece.
Who wrote the Champions League music?
Composer Tony Britten wrote the three-minute anthem when the European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League.
Britten is an English composer who worked as a musical director in the West End before moving into conducting orchestras for film and television.
He was commissioned by UEFA to arrange the anthem in 1992 and has had to answer criticism of his work and claims of plagiarism.
"There's a rising string phase which I pinched from Handel and then I wrote my own tune," Britten said.
"It has a kind of Handelian feel to it but I like to think it's not a total rip-off."
Who plays the Champions League music?
The arrangement was first recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with the choral parts sung by fellow London-based outfit the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.
Andrea Bocelli sang the Champions League music in front of Prince William and Silvio Berlusconi
Champions League music composer Tony Britten has had to fight off claims of plagiarism
It has also been sung by a number of famous performers at Champions League finals such as Andrea Bocelli - when Manchester United lost to Barcelona in Milan - and British classical crossover group All Angels.
What are the Champions League music lyrics?
The lyrics are in three different languages: English, French and German.
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
Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions
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