Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in 2024.
Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
The excitement surrounding the launch of Taylor Swift’s twelfth studio album, Life of a Showgirl, was expected to reach sky-high levels when released on Friday, but few anticipated that it would have soccer fans on the edge of their seats. However, the performer has ensured that she is the talk of the community, courtesy of a mention of Spanish giants Real Madrid in one of her tracks.
Real Madrid has earned a mention in the song “Wi$h Li$t”, the eighth track on the album, which highlights Swift’s desire to stay humble, despite the glitz, glamor and riches of fame. The track is reviewed by Associated Press by describing it as “”a lovely song about the mundanity of romance and the suburban fantasy of ‘a couple kids … a driveway with a basketball hoop’”.
While the club has not issued any kind of statement about the mention, it did take to social media with a post showing midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni with headphones on, with the caption, “NOW PLAYING: @taylorswift13 – Wi$h Li$t (2025)”, as posted on X.
Meanwhile, other Spanish soccer clubs also reacted. Real Madrid’s city rivals, Atlético Madrid, who beat them in the derby in a 5-2 result last weekend, posted an ironic post on X. The post included the caption “Our Wish List”, with a picture of defender Marcos Llorente and midfielder Pablo Barrios.
The lyrics of Wi$h Li$t
The verse which includes the mention of the soccer giants says, “they want it all, they want a contract with Real Madrid, they want that spring break that was ****in’ lit, and then that video taken off the internet, they want it all”.
The song is a playful yet sincere track in which Swift lays out her personal hopes for the future, focusing on emotional fulfillment over fame. She imagines a simple, grounded life, with a loving partner who’s also her best friend, a home with a driveway and a basketball hoop, a couple of kids, and the peace of telling the world to leave them alone.
In particular, the line has been seen as a metaphor for ambition and grandeur, compared to her simpler desires. It features Real Madrid as one of the most well-known sports teams in the world, renowned for its profile and heritage as one of the most successful teams in soccer.
Taylor Swift’s historic links to Real Madrid
This isn’t the first time that Taylor Swift has been linked with Real Madrid, after the pop star hosted two concerts at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu as part of the European leg of her The Eras Tour in 2024.
The two concerts drew in over 130,000 spectators across both nights, with Spanish newspaper MARCA estimating that the club had generated €9.1 million ($10.7 million) in revenue for their own benefit. That saw Los Blancos rake in 70% of the total revenue generated, which reached €13 million ($15.3 million).
Swift’s visit also had a substantial impact on the city’s wider economy, with La Vanguardia stating the impact on the hotel industry in the Spanish capital could be as large as €20 million ($23.5 million).