In total, the half-time break lasted 27 minutes and 19 seconds, delaying the restart of the match between Argentina and Spain and leaving many fans fuming. In the laws of the game, governed by IFAB (the International Football Association Board), it states half-time breaks should “not exceed 15 minutes”.
One of many X users who criticized the show posted a The Godfather meme and wrote: “Halftime show at World Cup final. Look how they massacred my beautiful game,” mimicking what Don Corleone says after his eldest, Sonny, is gunned down in a hail of bullets.
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was among those weighing in, writing: “It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge.”
Others argued that the show would be detrimental to the players, with one user writing: “The players should have not tolerate that. It’s the biggest game of most of their careers and they should not be bending their routines around half-hour half-time shows.”