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Official video for World Cup song hits all the right notes

By Brad Berreman

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 20: Actor Will Smith is interviewed on the field before the Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Stars and the Sydney Thunder at Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 20, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 20: Actor Will Smith is interviewed on the field before the Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Stars and the Sydney Thunder at Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 20, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images) /
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A full, official video for this year’s World Cup anthem is out, and the clip leaves nothing to be desired.

The 2018 World Cup is finally starting later this week in Russia, with the host country playing Saudi Arabia in the first game. The most popular sport in the world will get its biggest worldwide stage four years since it last had it, though interest in the United States may be limited by that country’s national team inept failure to qualify.

In May we found out Will Smith would come out of the woodwork musically to take part in the official 2018 World Cup anthem, in collaboration with the lesser-known Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi. “Live It Up” was the result of the collaboration, and the song was released to the public on May 25 with a generic video not featuring the artists.

At that time, Deadline.com reported an official video for “Live It Up” would come on June 7, right on time for the week leading up to the World Cup kicking off and the real buzz for the event to start. It came a day late, but the clip is out now and it honors the unifying effect the worldwide game of “football” can have quite well.

Sports definitely unify people in general, and the official video for “Live It Up” starts with a motivational quote–“Where there is unity, there is always victory.” Then the clip proceeds to show that message of unity, with clips from soccer games on a dirt field to a big stadium, fans watching games together and people showing general pride in country.

Next: 5 takeaways from Brazil's World Cup friendlies

Smith, Jam and Istrefi will perform “Live It Up” at the Word Cup final on July 15, at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium in front of a worldwide audience expected to exceed one billion people.

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