Former professional footballer and rising Afrobeats artist ELIKIA dreams of recording a song for the FIFA World Cup.
At Ajax, ELIKIA wore the captain’s armband for an academy side that included some of today’s biggest football names, playing alongside Jurriën and Quinten Timber, Ryan Gravenberch and Brian Brobbey.
ELIKIA, 25, spent four years in the youth ranks at the Amsterdam club and even made his Eredivisie debut for boyhood club PEC Zwolle as he chased his dream of becoming a pro footballer, but he made the bold decision to hang up his boots and swap the football pitch for the recording studio to fulfil a new dream of becoming a chart-topping singer.
He has just released his evocative new single Hitman, which arrives ahead of his debut album First Of A Kind, set for release on November 20.
But before unveiling his first LP to the world, ELIKIA is already dreaming of following in the footsteps of Shakira and Burna Boy and recording the official song of the FIFA World Cup.
Speaking toContact Music, he said: “To do something like a World Cup song would make sense. In time, yes.
“I need to be at a certain level as an artist, but the numbers are good.
“The music and my own experience of playing, I would be perfect for it.”
Shakira and Burna Boy not only soundtracked the 2026 World Cup with their song Dai Dai,but the track became one of the biggest hits of the summer.
The pair’s performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final was one of the highlights of the half-time show as the match between Spain and Argentina was paused.
ELIKIA also revealed that his upcoming album First Of A Kindhas 11 tracks to mirror the 11 players in a football team, with each song having a role to play just like the individual players.
He said: “The album will be special. There will be 11 songs and the 11 songs represent the starting side.
“The album’s songs have their own roles, their own positions.
“The world I’m trying to create with my music is like the football players.
“My own experiences of football and the story of football players influences my music. Things outside football, like the lifestyle, also influence my songs.”
The inspiration behind Hitman challenges the title itself. Rooted in contemporary realities surrounding women’s safety, the track champions protection, respect and an unequivocal stance against violence directed towards women.
Musically, the track approaches allyship through energy and solidarity, driven by an infectious rhythm throughout the track, the hook channels the communal elation of a football celebration, drawing on ELIKIA’s background in the sport to turn a message of protection into an uplifting, collective anthem.
Speaking on the track, ELIKIA shared: “I wanted to create a record with the uplifting feel of Afrobeats. I made this track to advocate for safe spaces where women can enjoy the music, dance and just exist.”
You can listen to HitmanHERE and ELIKIA’s album First Of A Kind is available to pre-save HERE
