Load of balls – five great football records you’ve probably never heard before

And no, we don’t count the New Order one

With the country gripped by football fever – at least until the weekend, and who knows beyond that? – the ears of music loving people everywhere are being deluged with the likes of ‘Three Lions’ and worse.

Admittedly, they’re a very rare breed, but there are actually a handful of great football records that can get you in the mood for the big games without you having to drop your taste standards. So here goes – five great football records you’ve probably never heard before

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Colourbox – The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme

Officially sanctioned by the band themselves and featuring a handsome looking Jimmy Hill on the cover, this fast paced, Fairlight-packed stomper was about as good as snazzy 80s music got. You may not know Colourbox – hugely influential but rarely recognised – but you’ve probably heard ‘Pump Up The Volume’, the tracks they made as M/A/R/R/S when they teamed up with 4AD labelmates AR Kane.

Pop Will Eat Itself – Touched By the Hand of Cicciolina

Made for the Italia 90 campaign and again, not official in any sense of the word, this PWEI classic references Italo-disco’s chunky pianos and parping horns and then adds a touch of worship for the host nation’s most famous adult film star, who just happened to be running for president at the time. These days, Clint Mansell of the band – sporting long black hair in the video – is a leading film score composer.

Depth Charge – Goal

It was made somewhere off the Portobello Road in west London but the vibes the ooze from this early 90s proto-breakbeat classic are pure Brazil. Perhaps more of a tribute to the football commentators of the world than the footballers themselves, but it’ll get any post match party flying.

Primal Scream / Irvine Welsh / On-U Sound – Full Strength Fortified Dub

Not quite as cheery as the others in this list, but given it’s about Scotland’s perennially underachieving national team you can possibly understand why. Still, the sound of the Scream being put through Adrian Sherwood’s dub space station while Welsh waxes with typical vitriol about the hopelessness of being a supporter, are all reasons to give this one a go.

E-Klektic – Maracana Madness

Mark Jones of the legendary Wall of Sound big beat empire had a hand in this, a Brazilian-flavoured affair with plenty of samba band power added to the beats. It comes in a plethora of different mixes, all in different genres, but this version with its speeding up climax is the one to go for. Goal!!!