For the first time in World Cup history, half-time lasted longer than 15 minutes — 27 minutes, 23 seconds to be precise — to allow for an all-singing, all-dancing musical performance AKA a Super Bowl-style half-time show.
The undoubted star (sponsored by Topps) from a football point of view was an awkward, grinning, goofy Ronaldo Nazario, accompanied by his old Brazil team-mate Ronaldinho, driving a buggy into the stadium with Madonna in the back singing her song Music.
Welcome to an American World Cup.
The rest of the show featured South Korean boyband BTS, Shakira, Burna Boy, Ted Lasso, Justin Bieber, The Muppets, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela (obviously) ... and Coldplay, who ended the whole thing with a schmaltzy cacophony of music, colour and the word love.
Was there much to do with football? Well, they did a short bit on the Norwegian row, as performed by their fans and players at this tournament, and an orchestral version of Seven Nation Army.
As a show, fine, it was actually great (apart from the bum Bieber note, a solo acoustic number that went on far too long), extremely well choreographed, slick, fun and entertaining.
But was it worth interrupting the World Cup final for 27 minutes? Absolutely not.
This isn’t the Super Bowl. Do it before or after the game next time please, FIFA.
