Liam Gallagher Says World Cup Halftime Show Was ‘Like a Bad Trip’

Liam Gallagher did not enjoy the halftime show during the final match of the FIFA World Cup on Sunday night. The Oasis singer, who has been very vocal about the games throughout the sporting event, likened the performances by Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Burna Boy, composer Gustavo Dudamel, and the Muppets to a “bad trip.”

“This is like a bad trip,” the musician wrote on X. “It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge.”

The halftime show began with a two-song performance by Madonna, who rode through New York New Jersey Stadium’s underground tunnels in a golf cart driven by Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho while blazing through a new version of her 2000 hit “Music” and her recent single “Danceteria,” from the fresh release Confessions II.

BTS popped in to perform a few seconds of their hit “Dynamite,” while actor Jason Sudeikis came onto the pitch in character as Coach Ted Lasso, with his trusty deputy Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) by his side, in order to give a pep talk to Justin Bieber. Bieber then performed a rendition of his “Everything Hallelujah.”

The show also featured “Dai Dai,” by Shakira and Burna Boy, and the PS 22 Chorus — a choir comprising fourth and fifth graders from a public elementary school in Staten Island — performing a song written by Coldplay called “We Dance,” with frontman Chris Martin joining in.

Gallagher was perhaps disappointed by England’s loss on Wednesday night, which opened the door to Argentina going up against Spain the final. Oasis’ hit “Wonderwall” had become the team’s unofficial anthem leading up to the semi-finals, with Gallagher leading the charge on its popularity. “Cmon England cmon Wonderwall,” he wrote ahead of the match with Spain.

Oasis will release Don’t Look Back in Anger, the almost-shelved documentary about the Gallagher brothers’ unlikely comeback, in September. The film was created by Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight and directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, and will open in IMAX and cinemas before arriving on Hulu and Disney+ later this year.