It starts as a low hum. Then, a roar. If you’ve ever sat in the nosebleeds of the Santiago Bernabéu or felt the concrete vibrate under your feet at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, you know that specific chill. It’s the sound of thousands of souls screaming como no te voy a querer.
But here’s the thing. Most people think it’s just a catchy chant. They hear the melody—stolen from an old pop song, mind you—and think it’s just another piece of stadium noise. It isn't. It’s actually a complex piece of cultural property that has survived decades of football evolution, cross-continental migrations, and the egos of some of the greatest players to ever lace up boots.
The Identity Crisis: Madrid or Mexico?
If you ask a Madridista, they’ll tell you it belongs to them. If you ask a fan of UNAM Pumas in Mexico City, they might start a fight over it. The truth is messier.
The phrase como no te voy a querer (how can I not love you) became the backbone of the Pumas identity long before it was a staple in Spain. In the 1970s and 80s, the "La Rebel" ultras and the student body of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México turned it into a prayer. For them, it wasn't just about winning trophies; it was about the "Goya" spirit and the specific pride of a university-backed club.
Then came Hugo Sánchez.
The "Pentapichichi" is the bridge. He is the reason this chant has a dual citizenship. When Hugo moved from Pumas to Spain, eventually landing at Real Madrid, he didn't just bring his bicycle kicks. He brought the DNA of Mexican football fandom. While the exact moment of "the swap" is debated by football historians, the linguistic DNA is undeniable. Madrid fans adopted it, polished it, and turned it into the soundtrack of the "Decima" era.
Why This Chant Sticks When Others Fade
Most chants are aggressive. They’re meant to intimidate the goalkeeper or insult the referee. This one is different. It’s vulnerable.
"Cómo no te voy a querer, si fuiste campeón de Europa por décima vez."
Think about those lyrics for a second. It’s a rhetorical question. It’s an admission of obsession. It basically says: I have no choice but to love you. That psychological hook is why it resonates. It captures the helplessness of being a sports fan. You don't choose your club; the club chooses you, and then you're stuck with the bill and the heartbreak.
The Pop Music Connection (The Part No One Admits)
Let's get real for a second. Football fans are the greatest thieves in the world. Almost no famous chant is original. The melody for como no te voy a querer actually draws deep roots from "Muchachos, esta noche me emborracho" or variations of traditional Latin rhythms that were popular in the mid-20th century.
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It’s ironic.
The same guys who pride themselves on being "hardcore" ultras are essentially singing a remixed love ballad. But that’s the magic of it. You take a melody designed to be sentimental and you weaponize it with the collective lung capacity of 80,000 people.
The Real Madrid "Decima" Explosion
While Pumas kept the flame alive in the 90s, the chant reached global "viral" status (before viral was even a thing) during Real Madrid's hunt for their tenth Champions League title.
I remember the 2014 celebrations. The bus was crawling through the streets of Madrid. Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, and Cristiano Ronaldo were basically acting like teenagers on a field trip. When the microphone hit the speakers at Cibeles and the crowd erupted into como no te voy a querer, it ceased to be a Mexican import. It became a royal decree.
At that point, the lyrics changed. They started counting.
- Once (11)
- Doce (12)
- Trece (13)
- Catorce (14)
- Quince (15)
Every time Madrid wins another trophy, the chant has to be updated. It’s a living document. It’s probably the only song in the world that requires a fact-checker every May.
The Pumas Perspective: Don't Forget the Roots
We have to talk about the "Goya." In Mexico, como no te voy a querer is often followed by or preceded by the university chant. For a Pumas fan, seeing Real Madrid fans sing it is a bit like seeing a billionaire wear a vintage band t-shirt they found in a thrift store.
"They have the money, but we have the soul," is a sentiment you'll hear in the stands at the Pedregal. For UNAM, the chant represents the underdog spirit—the student-athlete ideal—even if the club has become a massive commercial entity in its own right.
The Nuance of the "Por"
If you want to sound like an expert, pay attention to the preposition.
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In Madrid, they sing: "Cómo no te voy a querer... porque fuiste campeón de Europa."
In Mexico, it's often more about the heart: "si te llevo en el corazón."
It’s a tiny distinction, but it tells you everything about the two cultures. One is about the validation of victory (the trophies). The other is about the constancy of the feeling (the heart). Madrid's version is a celebration of excellence; Pumas' version is a declaration of loyalty regardless of the scoreboard.
What Most Fans Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that the chant started in the Santiago Bernabéu. It didn't.
Another mistake? Thinking it’s only for football. You’ll hear it at basketball games (Real Madrid Baloncesto) and even at weddings in Spain and Mexico. It has transcended the pitch. It has become a general Spanish-language idiom for "I'm proud of you."
The E-E-A-T Factor: Why This Matters Now
In 2026, football is more globalized than ever. We have the FIFA Club World Cup expanding, and the lines between "local" and "global" fans are blurring. Understanding the history of como no te voy a querer is a litmus test for "real" fans.
If you just sing the words because you saw a TikTok of Vinícius Júnior doing it, that's fine. But if you know the Hugo Sánchez connection—the way he bridged the gap between the Mexican Golden Age and the Quinta del Buitre—you understand the actual fabric of the sport.
Football isn't just about X's and O's or Expected Goals (xG). It’s about the "intangibles." This chant is the ultimate intangible. It’s a psychological tool. When the team is down 1-0 in the 85th minute, and the crowd starts the chant, it changes the oxygen in the stadium. Players like Luka Modrić have spoken about how the atmosphere in the Bernabéu during these moments feels like a physical force.
Actionable Takeaways for the Modern Fan
If you're planning to attend a match or just want to respect the culture, here is how you handle the legacy of this anthem:
1. Learn the count. If you're at a Real Madrid event, know which number they are on. Singing "Diez" (10) when they are at "Quince" (15) is a one-way ticket to being called a plastic fan.
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2. Respect the Pumas origin. If you meet a fan from Mexico, acknowledge that they did it first. It’s a great way to build rapport. Football fans love nothing more than someone who knows their history.
3. Watch the 2014 Cibeles footage. Seriously. Go to YouTube and find the video of the players on the stage after the Lisbon final. It’s the purest distillation of what this chant means. It’s not a performance; it’s a release of decades of pressure.
4. Use it sparingly. Like any great song, it loses its power if it's played on loop. The best time to sing it is when the victory is secured but the adrenaline hasn't faded.
5. Understand the lyrics. It’s not "I love you." It’s "How could I possibly NOT love you?" That distinction matters. It’s about the inevitability of the bond.
The Future of the Chant
As Real Madrid continues its dominance in the Champions League, the chant will evolve. It has to. It’s a numerical nightmare for the songwriters. Eventually, the syllables won't fit the meter. But that's a good problem to have.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Pumas is struggling to keep pace with the financial giants of Liga MX like Tigres or Monterrey. For them, como no te voy a querer is a shield. It’s a reminder that even if they can't buy the most expensive players, they have a history and a student-led passion that money can't replicate.
Whether you're in a bar in Mexico City or a plaza in Madrid, the song remains the same. It’s a bridge across the Atlantic, a piece of Hugo Sánchez’s legacy, and a testament to the fact that in football, the most powerful thing you can do is admit that you’re head-over-heels in love with a bunch of strangers chasing a ball.
Next time you hear it, don't just hum along. Think about the student protests in Mexico, the late-night flights to Spain, and the sheer weight of fifteen European cups. That’s what you’re actually singing about.
Next Steps for the Dedicated Fan:
To truly understand the "La Rebel" influence, research the history of the UNAM Pumas ultras and their specific chanting style. Compare it to the "Grada de Animación" at the Bernabéu to see how the vocal cadence has changed over forty years. If you're traveling to a match, practice the pronunciation of the specific Spanish "r"—the chant's power comes from the rolling "rr" in "querer."