Electrifying the World Cup halftime spectacle, Madonna kicked off the show with her iconic dance-pop anthem from 2000, “Music.” The Queen of Pop was joined by legendary Brazilian soccer icons Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, sparking an enthusiastic response from fans.
In an unforgettable whirlwind of excitement, Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Shakira infused the World Cup’s debut halftime extravaganza with snippets of their chart-topping hits. This star-studded line-up on Sunday also shone a spotlight on Burna Boy, Ted Lasso, and an entertaining ensemble of Muppets.
Held at the famous MetLife Stadium just outside New York City, the show aimed to capture the grandeur reminiscent of the Super Bowl. However, this high-energy 11-minute performance packed more punch than its 13-minute American football counterpart. Each headliner captivated the audience with a dynamic two-minute showcase.
Madonna brought her flair to the stage by starting with a pre-recorded sequence in a roller rink before dramatically entering the stadium on a dune buggy. As she belted out, “Music, makes the people come together,” the presence of football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho added to the electrifying atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel took the reins, orchestrating a powerful rendition of the White Stripes’ sports classic, “Seven Nation Army.” Adding a playful twist, the Muppets house band, featuring Animal on drums instead of Meg White, contributed their unique brand of musical mischief.
K-pop sensations BTS took to the field in variations of red and black moments later singing “Dynamite” following a nod to Norway’s Viking row.
Promoting the upcoming season of “Ted Lasso,” Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, in character, pumped up Justin Bieber, who changed the tempo with “Everything Hallelujah,” performed with an acoustic guitar and a casual feel.
“Alright young man, let’s go! It’s your big shot!” Sudeikis said to Bieber. “Go out there, don’t be nervous, nobody’s watching.”
Shakira and Burna Boy followed with their official World Cup anthem “Dai Dai,” heard before all 104 kickoffs during this tournament. The Colombian superstar was barefoot, wearing a dress of yellow and pink feathers and surrounded by similarly clad dancers — including a group of children — before the Afrobeats icon joined her in the song whose refrain is an Italian version of “Let’s go!”
Shakira has virtually made a genre out of World Cup songs, including 2010’s “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”
The show wrapped with the PS22 Chorus of elementary-school students from Staten Island, backed by Dudamel and joined by Chris Martin — the Coldplay singer who curated the performance — along with Shakira and many more Muppets and “Sesame Street” characters, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, Count von Count and Cookie Monster.
Dudamel and about 40 musicians — about half from the New York Philharmonic and half from Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra — were on the field, though their music was prerecorded Wednesday at the Manhattan Center.
Afterward, Javier Bardem was among the Spanish fans at the stadium celebrating their home country’s second World Cup win. Bardem danced and pumped his fist as he celebrated the win.
Other stars at the game included Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, and Matt Damon, who was having a big weekend with the epic opening of “The Odyssey.” He was with his wife, Luciana Barroso Damon, who wore the colors of her native Argentina.
Jennifer Hudson, Post Malone and Tom Cruise opened with closing ceremony
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 pre-match closing ceremony.
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 was 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.
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: España!” Cruise said, pausing for cheers before adding, “y Argentina!”
“Let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together,” he said.
Most of the national anthems were piped in during the tournament, but they were performed live on Sunday. EGOT winner and talk show host Jennifer Hudson sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Wearing a white suit with red, white and blue trim, she stood in front of a bank of flags of the world, singing a cappella before being joined by a brass band.
Spanish Brass played Spain’s instrumental “La Marcha Real,” followed by Argentina’s “Himno Nacional Argentino,” sung by pop star María Becerra, clad in a flowing dress reminiscent of the Argentine flag.