Last September, matches in the Champions League brought together three English clubs, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, along with Celtic from Scotland, as the group-stage action reached its second day. The atmosphere in the stadiums on English soil carried a somber tone due to the mourning period declared after the death of Queen Elizabeth. Curiously, the coronation of Carlos III seemed to echo this moment, with the Champions League anthem presiding in a way that felt almost identical to a traditional royal procession, or at least to something very close to it.
At the heart of the discussion lies the hymn Priest Zadok, one of four Coronation Hymns composed by George Frideric Handel in 1727 for the coronation of King George II. Handel, not yet naturalized as a British subject at that time, had already earned immense prestige across Europe through his leadership of the Royal Academy of Music. The official Naturalization Act was among the last documents signed by King George I before his passing. The legend has it that Handel reportedly drew inspiration from text that resonates with the King James Bible, crafting four Coronation Hymns in a mere three days. Whether this was an exact timeline or a vivid story, the association endures in the annals of musical and royal history.
scented oil
Priest Zadok stands on the biblical account of Solomon’s anointment as king, when Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan proclaimed the new monarch to the Israelite people in those ancient days. Since 1727, Handel’s work has quietly accompanied the thrones of British rulers, never faltering in its ceremonial role and often performed during the moment of anointing with scented oil. The piece has become a symbolic bridge between memory, ceremony, and the unfolding of royal ritual.
Nearly four decades after Priest Zadok accompanied Elizabeth II at a coronation, UEFA commissioned British composer Tony Britten in 1992 to craft an anthem for the continent’s premier club competition, which was approaching a rebranding as the Champions League. Britten’s approach involved drawing parallels to Handel’s venerable work, with careful lyrical adjustments that introduced brief phrases in French, German, and English, all designed to celebrate the participating teams and champions. Critics note that Britten’s method offered a respectful homage rather than an outright replacement, acknowledging Handel’s influence while creating a distinctly modern anthem for football’s top stage. Handel himself had lived long enough to witness public ceremonies embracing his music, and his pieces would later be recycled in various contexts by other composers as needed.
The resonance between the Champions League hymn and Priest Zadok became so pronounced that in 2002 the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields was invited to participate in the recording of an album dedicated to football hymns, World Soccer Anthems, which offered a faithful interpretation of Handel’s original coronation piece. That same melody again drew attention during contemporary ceremonies, including the coronation of Carlos III. The monarch, a fan of Burnley FC, a historic club competing in the Championship this season, represents a bridge between enduring football culture and the wider world of royal tradition. Yet the Burnley connection sits apart from the Champions League frame, illustrating how musical memory travels through time and sport in surprising, sometimes humorous ways.