Shakira's FIFA anthem 'Waka Waka' hits 2.5 billion views on YouTube; singer thanks fans

Colombian superstar Shakira’s hit song 'Waka Waka' has reached the 2.5 billion views milestone on YouTube. The official 2010 FIFA World Cup theme has helped 43-year-old Shakira become only the third Latin artist to achieve the impressive feat, following in the footsteps of Bruno Mars with his 'Uptown Funk' collaboration with Mark Ronson and Enrique Iglesias with his 2014 Spanish single 'Bailando'.

“Just heard that the Waka video has reached 2.5 BILLION views. Incredible. You guys really are amazing. Thank you!” Shakira posted on Twitter along with a short clip of the song which became an anthem for FIFA. 

Shakira famously met and fell in love with her partner, Spanish soccer star Gerard Pique, while shooting the video in the spring of 2010. The couple has since become parents to two sons, seven-year-old Milan, and five-year-old Sasha.

Have a look:

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The music video for 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)'  shows Shakira and a group of dancers and children dancing to the song together. It features cameos by various footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The signature step of the song along with the chorus became a massive hit among the listeners even today.

Listen to the song here:

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Waka Waka was released as the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which was held in South Africa. With its release, Waka Waka peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later the song was also certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 

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