Rap, reggaeton, rock, and pop: this is what Barça's locker room sounds like.

“What a band! What a schoolyard!” said Dani Olmo when he heard the music coming out of Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal's loudspeaker at La Cartuja, after lifting the Copa del Rey in the final against Real Madrid . Rhythms that ranged from reggaeton to Afrobeats poured out of that speaker. One of Barça 's chants was also present: the classic "Un dia de partit ," which fits much better with the Catalan music of Txarango or Oques Grasses, as Pau Cubarsí listens to. There are musical styles for everyone. All shared. And always, in a club that has transformed lyrics into its own soundtracks. The first nine notes of Coldplay's Viva la Vida will always be linked to Pep Guardiola's Barça and the 2009 treble. And, during the wonderful era of Johan Cruyff's Dream Team, the image of a conga line during the 1994 celebration dinner, to the Rhythm of the Night , a song made popular by the Belgian band Mystic, remains in the memory.

Lamine Yamal

Special bonds, lyrics of self-improvement, messages of struggle, and rhythms that convey joy permeate the songs that Barcelona players listen to. Lamine Yamal, for example, is always accompanied by " No me duele " by rapper Morad. There's a strong connection between them: both grew up in the Rocafonda neighborhood of Mataró, and they boast about their origins, carrying the number 304—the last three numbers of the postal code—around the world.

Beyond Morad, the 17-year-old winger is also a big fan of Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers' lyrics. The youth academy graduate always says that his songs, full of rhythm and urban lyrics, help him put himself in the right relaxed state of mind for competition. In fact, in a video released by Nico Williams, you can see how the Barça player slept peacefully listening to music while the entire squad traveled by bus to the Euro Cup semi-finals. The same thing happens when he listens to lyrics by other old-school rappers, like Eminem or 50 Cent. "Music helps me focus before a game and relax afterward. It's an escape into a world of fun when I need it," confessed Lamine Yamal, who has become the latest ambassador for the Beats headphone brand.

But it's not all about rap. The promising soccer player also enjoys music with Latin rhythms. His playlists feature songs like " Si antes te había conocí" by Karol G, a merengue that embodies the energy and passion of Colombian culture. He's also a big fan of reggaeton—a genre that's popular among young people—mambo, pop, and alternative rap, as conveyed by Rosalía's lyrics.

Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé

Lamine Yamal doesn't throw the party in the Blaugrana dressing room alone. Latin rhythms always accompany Balde, a loyal follower of Rels B, one of the pearls of the new wave of Spanish hip-hop, whose style is imbued with a variety of international influences: from electronic dance music and reggaeton to Latin soul funk, folk, and rock.

The musical tastes of the older players, like Jules Koundé—one of the squad's most fluid players —have also influenced the younger players' lists. Koundé listens to artists like Jay-Z, the 55-year-old New York rapper.

And Balde himself is a fan of Gazo, a French rapper of Guinean descent born in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, who writes lyrics related to the anti-racist struggle, with which the player feels strongly identified. The same is true of the messages of Pop Smoke, another American rapper from New York, the son of a Panamanian mother and a Jamaican father, who died in February 2020, at just 20 years old, after being shot twice during a robbery at his rented house in the Hollywood Hills. He is considered one of the most influential rappers of the drill style, a genre that emerged in the south side of Chicago. The band Earth, Wind & Fire, leaders of 20th-century rock and soul, also hails from there, another of Koundé's favorites.

Raphinha and Pedri

The most Latin rhythms are provided by players like Raphinha, who always brings his Brazil to his headphones with warm music and lyrics that address feelings of attraction or love. Among his favorite artists are the Menos é Mais group and the São Paulo-based composer and singer Thiaguinho (stage name of Thiago André Barbosa), who gained popularity in 2002 after participating in the talent show Fama .

The most commercial touch of reggaeton, pop rap and Latin trap is provided by Pedri, whose list is headed by the song Playa del Inglés , by his namesake, the Canary Islander Quevedo. He has established himself as the most successful artist on the national urban music scene. He fused his talent with the aforementioned Myke Towers to compose this song, which was one of the most listened to in Spain in 2022. Pedri's list also includes Eurovision songs such as Nochentera , by Vicco or Vagabundo , a song by Colombian Sebastián Yatra together with his compatriots Manuel Turizo and Beéle, whose lyrics celebrate the power of dance as a means of healing.

Gavi

Interestingly, the most cross-generational style is played by one of the youngest players, Gavi, who created a playlist with his physiotherapist, Pablo Merino, who gave him energy to recover. Gavi boasts of being one of the most musically literate players, with songs by Michael Jackson and 1970s rock bands like The Police's Every Breath You Take , The Journey's Don't Stop Believing , and Queen's Don't Stop Me Now .

An unstoppable combination that will help the team prepare for Sunday's derby against Real Madrid and overcome their Champions League semi-final exit against Inter Milan.