A breakdown of the bizarre performances from Madonna, BTS, Shakira and more as celebrities sound off
Updated ,first published
The World Cup final offered the game’s first ever half-time show; Judging by the reactions of experts and celebrities, I hope it will be the last one.
Broadcasting for BBC Sport, former England striker Wayne Rooney said the best part of the performance, which featured Madonna, Justin Bieber and the Muppets, was when it ended. “I love a lot of artists, but I thought this was bullshit,” he said.
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher approved of Bieber’s set – “Justin rules,” he posted on X – but wasn’t fond of the rest.
“This is like a bad trip,” he shared. “It’s a good thing I had my spiritual socks on, otherwise the halftime entertainment would have driven me crazy.”
After a tense first half, the audience was treated to the dream of a record half-time performance of 27 minutes and 22 seconds to ease the tension. But this wasn’t a Super Bowl-level fantasy.
Madonna opened the show singing her hit song Music From an underground skating rink inside a car driven by Brazilian legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo. Before he could even make a joke about his sweatpants, the action broke out elsewhere.
Then there was a sudden transition to the Muppets when composer Gustavo Dudamel produced the White Stripes’ iconic work. Seven Nation Army. It must have made Jack White turn in his grave (because he’s probably sleeping in a coffin).
K-pop icons BTS, dressed all in red, hit it big Dynamitebefore being interrupted by them Ted Lasso Starring Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, Hillsong priest Justin Bieber and those who experience quiet relaxation with his acoustic guitar. Everything is thankful.
Colombian star Shakira added energy to the World Cup by singing the anthem of the tournament Dai Dai With Burna Boy. What would FIFA do without Shakira? Probably a show full of Muppets.
Before the match, Tom Cruise dressed as a back-field roadie and delivered a rousing speech in the middle of the field like football’s Gandalf.
“Football is a language spoken without words, a force that unites people, turning strangers into friends,” he said, before announcing the teams “Espana and Argentina” with all the cultural respect of an SBS commentator.
Post Malone also performed his new song while wearing a cowboy hat and the tightest Canadian tuxedo you’ve ever seen. Chrome HeartbreakerReturning to rap roots after going country before bringing out Swae Lee for Spiderverse hit sunflowers.
All of this made as much sense as the phrase “New York New Jersey.” Let’s never revisit this again.
A-list players were in the stands of the match, including Will Ferrell, Pharrell Williams, Adrien Brody, Matt Damon (with his Argentinian wife Luciana Barroso), Spain’s Trevor Noah and San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama.
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Robert Moran is deputy Spectrum editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
