Amapiano Takes Over Europe as Aston Villa Celebrates Europa Cup Win: “Mzansi Remains Undefeated”

Amapiano Takes Over Europe as Aston Villa Celebrates Europa Cup Win: “Mzansi Remains Undefeated”

  • A European final turned into a celebration of dominance as a Premier League side stormed to a 3-0 victory in Istanbul
  • Dressing room scenes stole attention after players erupted into celebrations, with a South African Amapiano anthem setting the tone for the post-match party
  • Social media lit up as fans across South Africa reacted with pride, praising the global rise of their sound on football’s biggest stage

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English Premier League side Aston Villa were crowned Europa League champions on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, after a dominant 3-0 victory over Freiburg.

Aston Villa, Europa League, UEFA
John McGinn lifts the Europa League trophy with teammates after his side’s victory in the UEFA Europa League Final 2026. Image: Alex Grimm
Source: Getty Images

First-half goals from Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendía put Villa firmly in control, before Morgan Rogers sealed the win with a composed finish, delivering the club’s second major European trophy 44 years after their historic European Cup triumph.

The final in Istanbul ended in celebration as Villa players stormed the Beşiktaş Park dressing room, trophy in hand, singing and dancing after a statement performance on the continental stage.

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‘Funk 99’ soundtracks Villa victory party

Post-match scenes quickly went viral as players were seen vibing to the South African Amapiano hit “Funk 99” by Shakes & Les and LeeMcKrazy while celebrating inside the stadium.

“Funk 99” is a 2024 Amapiano release from the Funk Series project by Shakes & Les featuring LeeMcKrazy. The track is built on sgija-influenced production, layered with bass-heavy rhythms and chant-style vocals that have made it a staple in clubs and dance circles.

The song has enjoyed widespread success across streaming platforms and DJ sets, helping solidify both producers as rising forces in the evolving Amapiano scene.

Players, including Amadou Onana, were seen leading the celebrations, dancing through the dressing room with the trophy as the South African sound echoed through the stadium.

Aston Villa, Europa League Final
Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Europa League Final 2026 match. Image: Dan Mullan
Source: Getty Images

South Africans react as Amapiano goes global

The moment sparked pride across social media, with South Africans celebrating the genre’s global reach. Fans highlighted how Amapiano continues to dominate international football celebrations and pop culture moments.

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The viral scenes also revived memories of similar moments in 2025 when newly crowned England champions, Arsenal star Declan Rice, was seen dancing to Amapiano, further cementing the genre’s growing influence in European football dressing rooms.

Social media reactions included:

@HarveyWahlbangz:

“Forget about silip. He sounds like he has a corner shop in the CBD.”

@KgoshiKgwadi:

“It's Amadou Onana's playlist for sure, that guy loves this genre with all of his soul 🤣🤣🤣🤣.”

@m00Gale:

“Amapiano composers or DJs, whatever, need to go perform on these international stages. And start making foreign currency.”

@KwenaOfficial:

“Onana otswa Kasi straight 😂🔥.”

@mdokishi4:

“No silipi tonight, forget about silipi🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.”

@Pendana254:

“Amapiano is the sound of South Africa to the world...now it's recognised as a beats genre..worldwide.”

@Leo9Luke:

“South Africa remains undeated!!!.”

Watch the clip below:

Chelsea beat Man City to the signing of SA wonderkid

Briefly News also reported that Premier League giants Chelsea have edged out rivals, Manchester City, for the signing of a South African wonderkid this summer.

The Blues are said to have coughed up a record-breaking transfer fee to sign the South African youngster.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Ncube Harrison avatar

Ncube Harrison (Sports Editor) Harrison Ncube is a sports journalist with years of experience covering African and global sports. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from the Zimbabwe Open University and previously worked at Sports Buzz (2018–2022), freelanced for Sports Journal (2023–2024), and contributed to Radio 54 African Panorama Live (2021–2023). He joined Briefly News in February 2025. For inquiries, reach him at ncube.harrison@briefly.co.za.