Legendary English footballer Wayne Rooney has lambasted the inaugural FIFA World Cup halftime show that took place during the final, where Spain defeated Argentina 1-0.

The halftime show marked a major change to the World Cup final, with FIFA introducing a Super Bowl-inspired spectacle to accompany the tournament’s biggest match at the MetLife Stadium.

The event also supported the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million for global education.

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Curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the show featured performances and appearances from Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Burna Boy, the Muppets, and Sesame Street characters.

Serving as a pundit on BBC, Rooney was joined by Micah Richards and Joe Hart, who offered their opinions on the performances in a more tolerant manner.

Asked to pick his favorite moment from the halftime show, Rooney replied:

“I’ll be honest, mine was when it finished. I like a lot of those artists, but I thought it was crap. It just didn’t get me going, and I wanted the football to come back on. I like Burna Boy, I like Bieber, I like Shakira, but that was too flat.”

His comments have been lauded by football fans who share similar sentiments, many agreeing that the performances were underwhelming and failed to deliver the expected impact.

Watch the video below:<>/b>

🗣️ Wayne Rooney to @BBCSport on the half-time show. “I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap” pic.twitter.com/FEBdDwHA17

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 19, 2026