Wayne Rooney savages ‘c***’ World Cup final halftime show and says ‘the best part was when it ended’
Wayne Rooney has slammed the 2026 World Cup final halftime show live on BBC Sport, describing the controversial performance as ‘c***’ and saying ‘the best part was when it ended’.
The 41-year-old former England captain led an army of England fans and celebrities to attend the show, which offered a spectacular mix of music, nostalgia and global star power.
The likes of Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the Muppets performed under one roof at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday night.
Celebrities are divided over FIFA’s decision to add a half-time show to global football’s biggest match, which sees Argentina take on Spain.
While discussing the odd lineup of musicians with Gaby Logan, Wayne joked that his favorite part of the show was “when it ends.”
‘To be honest when mine ended I liked a lot of these artists but I thought it was bullshit to be honest,’ he fumed.
‘I did it honestly. This did not motivate me, I wanted football to start again. It was a little flat. ‘I love Burna Boy, I love Shakira, I love Bieber, but this was so ordinary.’
Wayne Rooney savaged the 2026 World Cup final half-time show live on the BBC, describing it as a ‘c***’ and saying ‘the best part was when it ended’.
The show offered a spectacular blend of music, nostalgia and global star power, with the likes of Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the Muppets performing under one roof.
Celebrities divided over FIFA’s decision to add a half-time show to global football’s biggest match as Argentina faces Spain
Meanwhile, Liam Gallagher scolded: “This is like a bad trip”, adding: “A good job or halftime entertainment could have driven me crazy if I had my spiritual socks on.”
Elsewhere, Sam Thompson shared his disappointment on Instagram: ‘The half-time show… is absolutely the last thing a football match of this magnitude needs. No one is sane anymore, not even the fans.
Roy Keane was also less than impressed, saying: ‘It was a bit of an anti-climax, but listen, it’s great to see Shakira.’
‘Imagine actors watching Sesame Street while cramping and needing to warm up again.’
The futuristic episode began with 67-year-old Madonna singing Music, accompanied by dazzling World Cup legends Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho.
The toned music legend showed off her stocking-clad legs as she hugged the football icons before taking him to the stadium and holding hands.
Justin Bieber, 32, made a very different impression on the crowd when he took the stage with nothing but a guitar in hand to sing a World Cup-themed version of his song “Everything Hallelujah.”
The star looked relaxed as he walked onto the pitch before singing his hit song and adding the final line: ‘It’s the World Cup, Hallelujah.’
Shakira returned to the World Cup stage, flaunting her toned abs in a pink and yellow sequined dress, to perform her hit song Dai Dai alongside Burna Boy, while K-pop sensation BTS kept the crowd entertained with Dynamite.
Wayne, 41, joked that his favorite part of the show was ‘when it ends’ as he discussed the odd line-up of musicians with Gaby Logan.
“It’s like a bad trip,” slammed Liam Gallagher, adding: “A good gig or halftime entertainment with my moral socks on would have driven me crazy.”
Elsewhere, Sam Thompson shared his disappointment on Instagram: ‘Halftime show…absolutely the last thing a football match of this magnitude needs.’
Madonna stormed onto the stage as she headlined the controversial FIFA halftime show for the first time during the 2026 World Cup Final on Sunday
Justin Bieber had a completely different impact on the crowd when he took the stage with nothing but a guitar in hand to sing a World Cup-themed version of his song Hallelujah.
Shakira shows off her toned body while performing Dai Dai with Burna Boy
The futuristic episode began with 67-year-old Madonna singing Music, accompanied by dazzling World Cup legends Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho.
K-pop sensation BTS entertains the crowd with Dynamite
Timothee Chamalet and Kylie Jenner had a loving look
Tom Cruise flashed a dazzling smile as he strolled through the stadium ahead of his special appearance at the closing ceremony.
Mick Jagger (L) and the Beckhams, who were following the World Cup interstate, were among the British stars who watched the final.
Matt Damon and his Argentine wife Luciana Barroso looked dazed when they arrived
Romeo and Cruz Beckham, who came to the World Cup final on Sunday, were accompanied by their girlfriends Kim Turnbull (right) and Jackie Apostel (left).
Dua Lipa was joined by her husband Callum Turner
Anya Taylor-Joy, 30, brought glamor to the match by wearing a chic white dress alongside her husband Malcolm McRae.
In addition to the halftime show, the World Cup final also featured a closing ceremony featuring performances by Post Malone, Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, the impressive IShowSpeed, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams and Italian singer Laura Pausini.
Stars such as Tom Cruise, Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Matt Damon and Adrien Brody attended the finale.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem, ski legend Lindsey Vonn and actress Julia Garner also attended the FIFA Golden Carpet event before the final.
The final day of the World Cup got off to a chaotic start at MetLife Stadium; Fans were forced to wait outside the venue for hours amid reports of technological glitches in ticket scanning and security staff unsure of how to manage crowds.
Organizers this week urged fans lucky enough to have a ticket to arrive up to four hours before kickoff for Sunday’s match between Spain and Argentina at the 80,000-seat stadium in New Jersey, a short drive outside Manhattan.
As preparations accelerated for the match, which is expected to be watched by billions of people around the world, fans waited more than four hours for their tickets to be scanned to enter the stadium for the showpiece match.
President Donald Trump’s attendance meant airport-style security measures were also implemented for anyone entering the venue.
However, delays were exacerbated following reports of glitches in FIFA’s ticket scanning system; This means those lucky enough to get to the front of long queues still face frustrating delays.
The Daily Mail also witnessed increasing tensions between fans, members of the media and security personnel; Officials on the field were telling anyone who complained, “Report this matter to FIFA.”
Will Ferrell attended the big match
Javier Bardem was supporting his country by attending the FIFA Golden Carpet before the final
Julia Garner was there to support her close friend Madonna ahead of the halftime show
Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario attended with his wife Celina Locks
England icon John Terry and Argentina legend Diego Simeone attended the meeting
Post Malone performed before the final
Jon Hamm arrives at MetLife before the ceremony
Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini voiced Desire
Robbie made a quick outfit change to watch the match with his gorgeous wife Ayda Field.
Coldplay’s Chris Martin has it all figured out as he prepares for his halftime performance
Extra security checks conducted ahead of President Trump’s attendance
The match will be the most expensive match in the history of the sport; On Sunday morning, the cheapest ticket available on most resale sites was starting at about $7,000.
FIFA has encouraged fans to arrive early to attend the World Cup closing ceremony, which is scheduled to begin approximately 90 minutes before the match kicks off.
But when Trump attends a sporting event, it’s standard procedure for fans to arrive early for additional security checks, and Trump has accomplished that many times during his second term as President, from the Ryder Cup to the Super Bowl.
Even on live television, the stadium was empty for just over an hour before the closing ceremony was due to begin.
Football’s big names, including Brazilian World Cup champion Ronaldo, former England captain John Terry and former Argentina player Diego Simeone, looked carefree as they entered the stadium just before the match.
There were also many fans determined not to let the chaos ruin their day. Thousands of Argentinian fans flocked to the stadium to see star footballer Lionel Messi make his last World Cup appearance at the age of 39.
Argentina are crowned champions after winning the 2022 tournament in Qatar but fall narrowly short of European champions Spain.
Trump is expected to deliver the World Cup trophy to the winning team after the match.
