The choir "If possible" between history and the World Cup. The case of Ecuador

The choir “If possible!” (“Yes, yes può!”) it is much more than a simple football slogan: it is one of the most rooted expressions of Hispanic and Latin American culture.

The expression was born in the United States in 1972, during the farm workers’ strikes led by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. It was Huerta who coined the slogan as a response to those who claimed that obtaining better working conditions was impossible.

Diffusion and cultural meaning

Since then “¡Sí se puede!” has become a cry of hope, determination and pride from the Hispanic community. In the United States it has been used in numerous political and social campaigns; the English version “Yes We Can” made famous by Barack Obama derives from that slogan.

The choir in Latin American stadiums

In Latin American stadiums the choir took over a different but equally powerful meaning. It is sung when: the team is underdog; a comeback is needed; just a few minutes left; the fans want to convey confidence in the players. The rhythm is simple and pounding: ¡Sí!… ¡Se puede! ¡Yes!… ¡If you can! The more decisive the moment, the more the chorus accelerates and increases in volume.

The case of Ecuador at the 2026 World Cup

In the case of Ecuador fans at the 2026 World Cup, the chant became the symbol of the belief that a national team considered inferior could beat a battleship like Germany. And the miracle happened, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with the winning goal, and a comeback, in the final quarter of an hour.

A universal choir

Many commentators talk about a choir that “drags” the team like no other. Unlike many European chants, which are often ironic or dedicated to clubs, “¡Sí se puede!” it doesn’t celebrate a team or a player. It’s universal encouragement, understandable even to non-Spanish speakers. Three words and four syllables are enough to convey a message of hope and determination, which is why it has become one of the most recognizable chants in the Hispanic world and, in this World Cup, one of the symbols of Ecuador’s surprising rise.