27 minutes and 18 seconds. That was how long halftime lasted in the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, almost double the limit allowed by IFAB. Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS and Gustavo Dudamel paraded across the field at MetLife Stadium in a show curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, while Madonna arrived atop a cart driven by none other than Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
And just when everyone was expecting praise, Wayne Rooney appeared on the BBC broadcast and said it bluntly: “It was rubbish”. The former Manchester United striker admitted that he likes several of those artists, but the show did not grab him at all. “I just wanted the football to come back”, he said, leaving the other commentators stunned.
Micah Richards, his former teammate in the England national team, was quick to respond live by calling him “miserable” over the comment. Host Gabby Logan even laughed at the awkward moment, promising “honest reviews” on the BBC. Meanwhile, the public was still processing the image of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho driving Madonna’s cart in front of millions of viewers.
