Roy Keane delivered one of the night’s most memorable moments during ITV’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup final after summing up FIFA’s controversial first-ever halftime show with a typically blunt assessment that left his fellow pundits struggling to contain their laughter.
The Manchester United legend branded the star-studded spectacle “a bit of an anti-climax” before producing the perfect punchline by admitting there was one part he certainly appreciated.
“It’s always nice to see Shakira,” he quipped, prompting laughter from Gary Neville, Ian Wright and presenter Mark Pougatch as millions watched live.
Keane’s deadpan verdict quickly became one of the standout talking points of the evening as football fans flooded social media with jokes praising the former Republic of Ireland captain’s unexpectedly complimentary remark about the Colombian superstar.
The halftime entertainment divided opinion throughout the football world after FIFA introduced the Super Bowl-style concept to the biggest match in international football for the very first time.
Held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the production attempted to blend music, celebrity appearances and football nostalgia into an elaborate showcase featuring some of the biggest names in entertainment.
Madonna opened the futuristic production alongside Brazilian legends Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho before Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy and BTS all took to the stage.
The Muppets even made a surprise appearance, ensuring the ambitious production became one of the most talked-about halftime spectacles in recent sporting history.
Yet while organisers hoped the show would become an iconic addition to the World Cup final, many viewers remained unconvinced.
Keane’s understated review perhaps summed up the mood of many traditional football supporters.
Asked for his thoughts after the performance, the former Manchester United captain initially offered a diplomatic assessment before delivering the line that immediately sent the ITV studio into fits of laughter.
“It was a bit of an anti-climax,” he said.
“I think the people in the stadium probably enjoyed it more than us. But it’s always nice to see Shakira.”
The panel burst into laughter as Keane maintained his trademark straight face, with Neville and Wright clearly amused by the unexpected conclusion to his review.
Ian Wright largely agreed with Keane’s criticism of the performance.
The former Arsenal striker suggested the concert lacked the energy many viewers had expected from such an ambitious production.
“I felt like maybe he should have been a little bit more upbeat and livened us up a bit,” Wright said.
“It felt a bit down.”
Gary Neville, however, proved more enthusiastic than his colleagues.
The former England defender admitted he enjoyed the spectacle despite understanding why some football supporters preferred the focus to remain firmly on the match itself.
“I quite enjoyed it,” Neville said.
“Let’s hope the second half picks up and there’s loads of energy.”
Within minutes of Keane’s comments airing, social media users were quoting his remarks alongside clips of Shakira’s performance.
Many joked that even football’s toughest television pundit could not hide his admiration for the singer.
One fan wrote: “Roy Keane happy to see Shakira. Man of taste I see.”
Another posted: “Roy Keane spoke for all of us in regards to Shakira. She has still got it.”
Others continued the light-hearted theme.
“Roy Keane was a big fan of Shakira,” one supporter joked.
Another added: “When Roy Keane approves of Shakira too. Those hips don’t lie.”
Shakira’s appearance represented one of the evening’s biggest musical moments.
The 49-year-old singer returned to football’s biggest stage wearing a sparkling pink and yellow sequined bodysuit as she performed her hit Dai Dai alongside Nigerian superstar Burna Boy.
The energetic performance showcased her trademark choreography and athletic stage presence, drawing loud cheers from supporters inside the stadium.
Before Shakira appeared, Madonna had opened proceedings with a performance of Music accompanied by Brazilian football icons Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho.
The trio embraced before making a dramatic entrance into the stadium as the pop legend celebrated football history alongside two of the sport’s greatest players.
Justin Bieber then opted for a very different atmosphere.
Armed with only a guitar, the Canadian singer performed a specially adapted World Cup version of Everything Hallelujah, changing the closing lyric to reference football’s biggest tournament.
Later, K-pop superstars BTS brought additional energy with a performance of their worldwide smash hit Dynamite.
Despite the impressive line-up, however, many viewers questioned whether such a lengthy musical production belonged in the middle of the World Cup final.
Former England captain Wayne Rooney delivered perhaps the harshest assessment.
Speaking on BBC coverage, Rooney admitted he was counting down the minutes until the football returned.
“To be honest, mine was when it finished,” he joked when asked for his favourite moment.
“I like a lot of those artists but to be honest I thought it was c**p.”
Rooney continued by explaining that the concert failed to match the emotion generated by the football itself.
“It just didn’t get me going,” he admitted.
“I wanted the football to be back on. It was a bit flat. I like Burna Boy, I like Shakira, I like Bieber, but that was too flat.”
Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher also offered a memorable reaction on social media.
“This is like a bad trip,” he wrote.
He later joked: “It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge.”
Television personality Sam Thompson similarly questioned FIFA’s decision to interrupt the final with such an elaborate production.
Posting on Instagram, he argued the timing distracted from the sporting occasion.
“Half-time show… absolutely the last thing a football game of this magnitude needed,” he wrote.
“No one’s in the right headspace now, not even the fans.”
He added another humorous observation.
“Imagine the players watching Sesame Street whilst cramping up and needing to warm up again.”
Presenter Lorraine Kelly also weighed into the debate after spotting one unexpected guest.
The television favourite admitted she enjoyed seeing Animal from The Muppets behind the drums before pleading for the match to resume.
“Just seen ANIMAL on the drums during half-time,” she posted.
“All is almost forgiven FIFA – but get on with the footie FFS.”
The halftime debate almost threatened to overshadow what proved an unforgettable World Cup final.
After a tense contest between Spain and Argentina, Ferran Torres eventually scored the decisive goal during extra time to hand Spain the 2026 World Cup trophy.
The victory capped an impressive tournament for the European champions, who overcame Lionel Messi’s Argentina in dramatic fashion.
Yet almost as soon as the final whistle sounded, attention quickly returned to the halftime entertainment and the fierce debate surrounding FIFA’s latest innovation.
Supporters remained divided over whether the World Cup should continue borrowing ideas from the Super Bowl or preserve the more traditional halftime interval that football fans have known for generations.
Some praised FIFA for embracing global entertainment and attracting mainstream audiences beyond football.
Others argued the biggest match in world football required no additional spectacle beyond the game itself.
Among the flood of opinions, however, it was Roy Keane’s perfectly timed one-liner that arguably captured the mood more effectively than any lengthy analysis.
His brutally honest description of the show as “anti-climactic,” followed immediately by his cheerful declaration that “it’s always nice to see Shakira,” instantly became one of the defining television moments of the 2026 World Cup final.
Whether fans loved the halftime experiment or wanted it scrapped forever, Keane once again proved why his dry wit remains every bit as entertaining as his famously uncompromising football opinions.
