Wayne Rooney doesn't hold back in his criticism of the World Cup final halftime show

In true Super Bowl fashion, the FIFA World Cup final featured its very first halftime show, a spectacle that could only happen in the United States, the undisputed kings of grand-scale entertainment. The show, which arguably ended up being more entertaining than the match itself, interrupted Spain’s dominance for a staggering 27 minutes.

This was 12 minutes longer than the traditional 15-minute halftime break players normally use to rest and regroup in the locker room. The performance kicked off with Madonna being chauffeured by Brazilian World Cup champions Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, followed by a booming rendition of "Seven Nation Army", a beloved football anthem for years, led by Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, an orchestra, and the Muppets.

From there, a lineup of global superstars took the stage, featuring Korean sensations BTS and television character Ted Lasso, who introduced Canadian pop star Justin Bieber.

Bieber completely mellowed out the atmosphere with an acoustic guitar performance before Shakira and Burna Boy delivered one final, vibrant live performance of the official tournament anthem, "Dai Dai," a track heard across all 104 matches of the competition.

True to form for these massive international productions viewed by millions, the spectacle wrapped up with a message of peace and love from Coldplay, backed by the angelic voices of the PS22 Chorus.

Wayne Rooney Tears Into the World Cup’s First Halftime Show

As the very first halftime show in tournament history, it was always destined to be unforgettable, regardless of whether fans loved or loathed it. However, former England star Wayne Rooney certainly didn't mince words, bluntly stating, "The best part was when it finished."

Working inside MetLife Stadium as a BBC pundit alongside Joe Hart and Micah Richards, Rooney made it clear he was entirely unimpressed. When the trio was asked for their highlights of the performance, Rooney remarked, "I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap."

Rooney went on to explain his frustration, adding, "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." Presenter Gabby Logan quickly chimed in with agreement, replying, "I’ll be honest, mine was when it finished."

For many former players turned analysts, introducing a prolonged entertainment break goes entirely against the natural flow of soccer, similar to the hydration breaks implemented during the tournament.

In this case, combined with a halftime that Rooney described as feeling "too flat," the interruption added an unusual dynamic to the championship decider.

On the pitch, the game was heavily controlled by Spain from the 1st to the 120th minute, and it was solely thanks to a heroic masterclass from goalkeeper Emi Martínez that Argentina avoided a crushing 3-0 or 4-0 blowout.

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