In 2010, Shakira was selected to sing the official World Cup song. Her song is called "Waka Waka" and is inspired by traditional African music. It features the South African band Freshlyground.

The song has a Latin pop, afro-fusion style. Shakira's Spanish and English lyrics encourage soldiers and people to aim for goals.

"Waka Waka" was originally a song from Cameroon. It was a hit during the 1980s in the country. The song was written by Columbian singer Shakira and John Hill.

"Waka Waka" is a song with an upbeat style and a rich, African-Colombian rhythm. The lyrics are about the importance of working together for Africa.

The song is about a global event that brings people together. Its chorus is borrowed from a 1986 song by the Cameroonian group Golden Sounds.

The song was written by Shakira and John Hill and was produced by Freshlyground. They met in New York. As the producer, Hill asked for input from the group. He was interested in recording everything heard.

The music video for the song was directed by Marcus Raboy. The music video is a mix of many languages. For the first time, the video was shot in 3D. This version of the video has 2.5 billion views on YouTube as of July 2020.

"Waka Waka" has received generally favourable reviews from critics. Some praises included its mix of skippy township beat and African guitars, its chorus, and its lyrics.

"Waka Waka" has achieved multi-platinum certifications in eleven countries. As of May 2014, it has sold nearly ten million units worldwide.