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Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher criticized FIFA's first-ever World Cup final halftime show on Sunday, writing on X that the performance was "like a bad trip."
The post came as Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, Coldplay's Chris Martin and others performed at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., during the Spain-Argentina final, marking FIFA's first attempt at a Super Bowl-style halftime show.
Moments later, he followed up, adding, ''It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on, or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge.''
Gallagher wasn't alone in his criticism. Former England striker Wayne Rooney, comedian David Baddiel and ex-footballer Stan Collymore also weighed in with their own takes on the show.
Speaking on the BBC broadcast, Rooney was asked live on air to name his highlight of the performance and replied, "When it finished," admitting he couldn't wait for the match to resume.
On X, Baddiel had a similar reaction, writing that the show possessed an unusual quality that made it seem AI-generated.
Collymore, meanwhile, poked fun at the visuals, noting that two of football's greatest-ever players were made to look completely out of place beside the over-the-top production. His comment was a direct reference to Madonna's halftime performance, which featured surprise appearances by Brazilian icons Ronaldinho and Ronaldo.
The 11-minute halftime show brought together Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, Coldplay's Chris Martin and the PS22 Chorus for FIFA's first Super Bowl-style show.
It opened with Madonna, who sang her song "Music" alongside DJ Stuart Price, with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho making a cameo in a jeep. Shakira teamed up with Burna Boy for a performance of "Dai Dai," the official 2026 World Cup anthem.
BTS performed "Dynamite," followed by Justin Bieber, who delivered an acoustic rendition of "Everything Hallelujah" after an on-stage introduction by Jason Sudeikis in character as Ted Lasso.
The performance transitioned as Gustavo Dudamel conducted a joint performance of "Seven Nation Army" with the New York Philharmonic and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra.
The spectacle culminated in a grand finale featuring Chris Martin, the PS22 Chorus, Kermit the Frog, and Miss Piggy, closing out with a massive "Love" stage formation and a stadium fireworks display.
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