The ‘Hooo!’ chant [or whatever way you want to spell it] has been one of the highlights of Euro 2016. That, Robbie Brady, Jogi Low’s trouser issues and Steve McClaren’s reaction to Iceland’s winner against England.
As if Iceland’s 2-1 victory over England was not enough for you, on Monday, Aron Gunarsson led his players through a dramatic staging of a chant that has proven more popular than ‘Will Grigg’s On Fire’.
The basic premise of the chant is a single clap, rung out in unison and an emphatic ‘Hooo’ from the Icelandic fans. The pace of the clap and bellow grows to a deafening crescendo.
Everyone present in Nice for the second round game will remember the moment forever, as the delirious Iceland fans celebrated with all 23 of their triumphant heroes.
Best 35 seconds in #EURO2016 #Iceland #ICEENG #ICE 🇮🇸pic.twitter.com/QmLvBhGcJN
— ❂ Yübbîę Umoh ❂ (@Yubbie007) June 27, 2016
While TV commentators have lauded the Icelandic fans with praise, it appears that they have simply borrowed the chant from a club side. A club side in Scotland.
A reddit user has claimed the song travelled back to Iceland in 2014 with fans of Stjarnan.
The club were playing Motherwell in a 2014 Europa League fixture when they beheld this superb piece of choreography:
They headed home and adopted the chant as one of their own, stripping it back and adding a touch of Icelandic flavour.
The chant has proved so popular in recent years that fans of the national team have taken it around Europe, in Euro 2016 qualifiers and this summer’s championship.
Expect this chant to sweep the Premier League and League of Ireland in the coming weeks and months.
