Translation:
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
For your arm knows how to bear the sword,
It knows how to bear the cross!
Your history is an epic
Of the most brilliant exploits.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

The anthem "O Canada" brings a unique, dual-linguistic atmosphere to football matchdays, reflecting the country's diverse cultural makeup. When the national teams play, supporters—often led by the Voyageurs group—can be seen holding up red and white scarves or waving giant maple leaf flags. The absolute peak of stadium volume invariably hits on the final crescendo line, "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!", where the entire crowd leans forward with an intense surge of vocal energy. A compelling piece of history behind the anthem is that it was originally commissioned in 1880 for a French-Canadian Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebration in Quebec, with music composed by Calixa Lavallée and original French lyrics by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The English version wasn't written until 1908 by Robert Stanley Weir, and because it isn't a direct translation of the French text, Canada's national stadium anthems are frequently sung in a "bilingual blend," alternating between French and English verses to honor both founding linguistic traditions on the pitch.