Burning The Ground Exclusive
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup currently taking place, this felt like the perfect time to revisit one of the most unlikely, and most successful, football records ever released.
When a football record works, it is usually because it forgets to be a football record for a few minutes. World In Motion is exactly that. On paper, the whole idea sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. New Order, one of Manchester’s coolest and most unlikely pop institutions, teamed up with the England national football team for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.
Somehow, it worked. Not only did it work, but it also became one of the best football songs ever recorded.
Credited as Englandeworder, World In Motion was released in May 1990. It arrived at just the right moment. The band had come off the success of Technique, UK dance culture was everywhere, and football was about to have one of its most emotional summers.
What makes World In Motion so special is that it still sounds like a New Order single. The bright synths, steady dance rhythm, Peter Hook’s bass, and Bernard Sumner’s understated vocal all sit perfectly in place. The football chants are there, but they never take over. Even the squad vocals feel like part of the record instead of a cheap add-on.
Then, of course, there is John Barnes.
His rap near the end of the song has become part of UK pop culture in its own right. It is joyful, awkward, charming, and strangely perfect. It should not work as well as it does, but Barnes delivers it with enough confidence to make it unforgettable. In a genre filled with novelty football records, this one had rhythm, wit, and a real pulse.
The 12-inch single is especially interesting because it treats the song like a proper club release. My US 12-inch does not include The B-Side, which appeared on other editions, but instead focuses on the remixes. The Subbuteo Mix and Subbuteo Dub by Graeme Park and Mike Pickering give the track a more club-ready feel, while Andrew Weatherall and Terry Farley’s Carabinieri Mix and No Alla Violenza Mix take things even further into the dancefloor.
That roster alone tells you this was not being handled like a throwaway sports tie-in. This was New Order, football culture, and the club scene meeting at the exact right moment.
World In Motion became New Order’s only UK No. 1 single, spending two weeks at the top and 12 weeks on the Official Singles Chart. It also reached No. 1 on the UK Indie chart and found success in several other countries.
More than three decades later, World In Motion still has that rare glow. It captures a moment when pop, football, club music, and national hope all collided without becoming corny. England did not win the World Cup in 1990, but this record gave them a song that has outlived the tournament itself.
Now, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup underway, it feels like the right record at the right time all over again.
It is funny, bright, emotional, and completely of its time. It is also still a fantastic New Order single.
And really, how many football records can you honestly say that about?
AWAY SIDE:
World In Motion… (Carabinieri Mix) 5:54
Mixed By – Andrew Weatherall, Terry Farley
World In Motion… (No Alla Violenza Mix) 5:36
Mixed By – Andrew Weatherall, Terry Farley
HOME SIDE:
World In Motion… (Subbuteo Mix) 5:08
Producer [Additional Production By], Remix [Remix By] – Graeme Park, Mike Pickering
World In Motion… (Subbuteo Dub) 5:08
Producer [Additional Production By], Remix [Remix By] – Graeme Park, Mike Pickering
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart Performance – New Order: World In Motion (1990) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Indie Chart | 1 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 2 |
| Finland | 4 |
| Ireland | 7 |
| New Zealand | 8 |
| Australia | 21 |
| Switzerland | 27 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks | 5 |
| US Dance Club Songs | 10 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Qwest Records – 0-21582, Qwest Records – 9 21582-0, Warner Bros. Records – 0-21582, Warner Bros. Records – 9 21582-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: May 1990
Genre: Electronic
Style: House, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Design [Uncredited], Art Direction [Uncredited] – Peter Saville Associates
- Producer [Produced By], Recorded By – Stephen Hague
- Written-By – Keith Allen, New Order
NOTES:
Artist on sleeve & spine: Englandneworder
Artist on labels: New Order
Both labels say “Side 1”.
A1, A2 mixed at the Townhouse
Made in U.S.A.
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
PLEASE READ
There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other
**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!
Password: burningtheground
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