Wayne Rooney was left less than impressed with FIFA’s first ever World Cup final half-time star-studded show, describing the efforts of Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber as ‘crap’.
After a largely disappointing goalless opening period between Spain and Argentina, it was hoped that the A-list ensemble would get pulses racing inside the MetLife Stadium.
Instead, a confusing medley that also featured the likes of BTS and Brazil football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho driven onto the pitch in a buggy left viewers in the stadium and a global TV audience confused.
After the 13-minute show had ended, BBC presenter Gabby Logan asked pundits Joe Hart and Micah Richards for their assesments.
‘Shakira an Burna Boy,’ said Richards when asked for his highlight, while Hart added ‘Ronaldinho and R9 driving out Madonna.’
Rooney, however, delivered a scathing verdict, telling a stunned Logan: ‘To be honest mine was when it finished I like a lot of those artists but to be honest I thought it was crap. I did honestly.
‘It just didn’t get me going I wanted the football to be back on. It was a bit flat. I like Burna Boy I like Shakira I like Bieber but that was too flat.’
Madonna had opened proceedings with her 2000 dance-pop hit ‘Music’, joined by two iconic Brazilian stars of yesteryear. It started with an apparently pre-recorded piece in a roller rink before she rode into the stadium on a dune buggy, singing ‘Music, makes the people come together.’
Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel led an orchestra through the White Stripes’ sports anthem ‘Seven Nation Army,’ while Animal and other Muppets bopped and shook.
K-pop sensations BTS took to the field in red and black moments later singing ‘Dynamite.’
Promoting the upcoming season of ‘Ted Lasso,’ Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, in character, pumped up Justin Bieber, who changed the tempo with the slower ‘Everything Hallelujah.’ Then Shakira and Burna Boy performed their anthem ‘Dai Dai,’ heard before all 104 kickoffs in this tournament.
The show wrapped with a chorus of elementary-school students from Staten Island.
Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams and others performed a slew of anthems, Post Malone brought an old hit and a new tune and Tom Cruise gave an earnest hype-’em-up speech in the closing ceremony before Sunday’s World Cup final.
British singer and former Take That member Williams performed his FIFA anthem ‘Desire,’ wearing a blue bedazzled track suit. He was joined by Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger and Italian singer Laura Pausini in blue spangled gowns. Williams had released the song a year ago but dropped a new version with the two women earlier in the week.
The streamer IShowSpeed took the field first to perform his World Cup-themed song ‘Champions’, atop an image of the Empire State Building.
Next came Post Malone, who walked on to the New York/New Jersey Stadium pitch covered with a tarp showing the New York skyline. He sung a brand new song, ‘Chrome Heartbreaker,’ and was joined by Swae Lee to perform their 2018 duet “Sunflower” on a hexagon-heavy stage in the center of the field.
Tom Cruise, who was also part of the Paris Olympics’ closing ceremony, followed them with a speech delivered in polo shirt and jeans.
‘Today only two teams remain: Espana!’ Cruise said, pausing for cheers before adding, ‘y Argentina!’
‘Let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together.’