Shakira 'saves the day' at World Cup 2026 as fans slam Justin Bieber

Niti Majethia, Tatiana Krisztina Mon, July 20, 2026 at 3:25 PM UTC

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Shakira performed at the World Cup Final (Image: Getty Images)

The FIFA World Cup 2026 halftime show featured a star-studded roster of performers-including Shakira, Justin Bieber, Madonna, and BTS-showcasing their talents.

Yet, despite the impressive lineup, certain fans expressed disappointment with Justin Bieber's set. The Baby singer delivered one of his popular tracks, "EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH," a subdued, heartfelt number centered on gratitude.

Numerous viewers criticized the song's "slow" tempo for clashing with the World Cup's atmosphere, with someone on X posting, "Justin Bieber chose the song very poorly."

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Another viewer remarked on the lackluster staging, writing, "Justin Bieber performing at halftime felt just like when your musician friend pulls out their guitar at a party."

By comparison, Shakira, who has maintained a long-running connection with the tournament, delivered a high-energy performance featuring intricate choreography to her track 'Dai Dai,' which also serves as the official anthem for the 2026 World Cup. Supporters flooded social media with acclaim for the artist, with one observing, "Shakira moving to save the day after the a-- Justin Bieber did," reports the Mirror US.

Shakira's performance was praised (Image: undefined)

Another declared, "sorry but only shakira felt like an actual WORLD CUP performance."

This follows Argentina's final unsportsmanlike conduct during Spain's medal presentation.

Considering the influence her performance generated and her World Cup legacy, an X user questioned, "Is Shakira to the World Cup what Mariah Carey is to Christmas?" Another user posted, "Shakira is the ONLY ARTIST who can say that she has sung in 4 World Cup finals. She was at the finals of 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2026. The Colombian is a total legend. THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD CUPS."

Meanwhile, Justin Bieber's performance wasn't the sole aspect of the World Cup final that faced criticism.

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Numerous soccer enthusiasts appeared perplexed by the expansive celebrity roster, which also featured actor Tom Cruise, who presented an opening address prior to kickoff.

Justin Bieber's song was deemed too slow (Image: Getty)

With strong gusts whipping through his lengthy locks, Cruise proclaimed, "30 days ago, 40 nations began a journey across oceans. They crossed borders. They crossed cultures. And together, they showed why this game belongs to the world.

"Football is a language spoken without words. A force that unites people. That turns strangers into friends. And reminds us what we all have in common.

"These stories belong to each and every one of us, " Cruise beamed before concluding, "Let us celebrate each other! This is football. This is greatness."

Audiences flocked to social media platforms, branding Tom's address as "cringeworthy" and "silly."

One commenter stated, "Why is Tom Cruise babbling weird nonsense? Why does he look like a chipmunk? This is cringe."

Others even criticized the tournament's approach of simply assembling numerous celebrities for the purpose of "having famous people."

One X user commented: "The most American s--- is just throwing as many random celebrities as possible at an event without rhyme or reason. Just famous people for the sake of having famous people."

This follows a lip reader exposing FIFA President Gianni Infantino's desperate plea to Trump, which was met with a humiliating snub.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”