The FIFA World Cup’s first halftime show drew mixed reactions online, with many viewers expressing surprise over the show’s brevity, news outlets report.
The show, which lasted about 11 minutes, was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and brought together an eclectic lineup: Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Shakira, along with a Sesame Street cameo and a “Ted Lasso”-themed intro.
Some viewers found the halftime show surprisingly brief and underwhelming, given the months of hype leading up to it. Viewers joked online that a show curated by one of the world’s biggest music acts felt shorter than expected, especially compared to the far longer Super Bowl halftime show.
Madonna opened the show with a mostly prerecorded set of songs from her new album “Confessions II,” while riding an ATV alongside former Brazilian soccer stars Ronaldinho and R9.
BTS followed with what was widely considered the most anticipated performance, a quick rendition of “Dynamite” from their album “BE.”
“Ted Lasso” stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt introduced Justin Bieber, whose song slowed things down, and viewers online widely considered the performance unimpressive.
Shakira closed the show, appearing alongside her World Cup theme collaborator Burna Boy to perform “Dai Dai.”
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