While some fans are still coming down from the high of the 2026 Fifa World Cup final, it is not just the trophy celebration dominating conversations online.
The half-time show has become one of the biggest talking points and let’s just say, not everyone was handing out standing ovations.
One person who had no problem sharing his thoughts was football legend Wayne Rooney. The former England captain and three-time World Cup player did not hold back when asked about the performances.
“I like a lot of them artists but I thought it was crap,” Rooney said during the broadcast.
“I did, honestly,” he added while host Gabby Logan tried to soften the moment by telling viewers: “I’ll tell you what else you get on the BBC – honest reviews.”
And honest reviews there certainly were.
Rooney was not alone in questioning whether a half-time show belonged at football’s biggest event. Social media quickly turned into a very loud debate, with fans sharing everything from praise to “please never do this again” reactions.
One person on X writes: “No place for it in football. The sport itself is entertaining enough. We don’t need anything extra.”
Another says: “The half-time show should be BANGERS and it made you wanna go to sleep.”
The comment sections were not exactly a peaceful place either, especially when fans were asked: “What did you guys think about the first half-time show?” Let’s just say, people arrived ready with opinions and a keyboard.
One viewer writes: “Even though I would hate it even if it was good, I didn’t even need to pretend… it was awful. Why was Cruise giving a cringe speech and why was Bieber singing some boring dirge? The whole thing was terrible.”
Another fan was even more direct: “First and last please. Keep this rubbish in the NFL where it belongs. Football should be for the fans.”
Love it or dislike it, Fifa’s first half-time show has done one thing very successfully, it has given football fans something new to argue about, and that might be the most football thing possible. – IOL Entertainment
