A blunt on-air verdict from former England striker Wayne Rooney about the World Cup's first-ever halftime show went viral, drawing a wave of similarly scathing reactions from public figures and fans online. Speaking to BBC presenter Gabby Logan, Rooney said his highlight of the show was "when it finished", branding the performance "crap" and "too flat" despite liking several of the artists involved. His comments resonated widely, echoed by historian Tom Holland, Oasis's Liam Gallagher (who compared it to "a bad trip") and a Norwegian broadcaster who made an even earthier comparison, while others singled out Justin Bieber's solo performance for particular criticism.

The reaction followed Spain's 1-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July, settled by a Ferran Torres goal in the 106th minute in front of a celebrity-packed crowd including Donald Trump, Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The match featured the tournament's first-ever halftime show, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, with performances from Madonna (joined by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho), The Muppets, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy and Coldplay themselves, backed by the PS22 children's choir. Despite the show's starry line-up, the loudest lasting reaction was the mocking backlash it provoked rather than praise for the spectacle.