Wire flash
Rooney on World Cup halftime show: Best part was when it finished
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
During the BBC's live coverage of the 2026 World Cup final, former England captain Wayne Rooney delivered a brutally honest review of the tournament's first-ever halftime show. The performance, organized by FIFA, featured global musicians including Madonna and a cameo from The Muppets, but many viewers found it disappointing. When asked for his opinion live on air, Rooney bluntly stated: 'I thought the best part was when it finished. I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap.' His fellow pundits were visibly shocked by his candid assessment. The moment quickly went viral on social media, with many viewers praising Rooney for speaking his mind and calling it one of the standout moments of the night. The article includes multiple Twitter reactions highlighting the meme-worthy nature of his comment.
Source report
When the BBC booked Wayne Rooney as part of their coverage of the 2026 World Cup final, they likely didn't anticipate they were getting an impromptu showbiz correspondent alongside their football pundit.
On Sunday night, the former England captain summed up what many viewers were thinking about the tournament's first-ever halftime show performance.
The Halftime Show
During the live final, FIFA assembled a lineup of some of the world's biggest musicians to perform at halftime. The show began promisingly with a classic hit from Madonna and a cameo from The Muppets, but many viewers were left unimpressed with how the rest of the performance was put together.
Rooney's Reaction
Among the unimpressed was Rooney, who did not hold back when asked for his opinion live on the BBC.
Despite positive reviews from his fellow pundits, Rooney said simply:
"I thought the best part was when it finished. I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap."
He added, "I did, honestly," as his fellow presenters struggled to hide their shock at his assessment.
Social Media Response
Many viewers watching the BBC broadcast said Rooney's take was meme-worthy and one of the standout moments of the night.
Wayne Rooney speaks for everyone. — Scott Bryan (@scottygb)
wayne rooney dropping better bangers than the match itself — shams (@shaambhaviiii)
One of the best moments ever during my time at BBC Sport 🤣 Wayne Rooney just saying it how it is! — Karen Fazackerley (@KarenFaz)
Wayne Rooney fair fucking play lad saying it as it is 😂 💩 — Alex (@AlexLFC31)
Wayne Rooney is too funny man, never shy and comes straight out with it — Ele (@UTDEle)
Source
HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public)Western
Part of this Story
Wayne Rooney Criticizes 2026 World Cup Final Halftime Show as 'Crap'