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Madonna opened the World Cup halftime show with her 2000 dance-pop hit \u201cMusic,\u201d joined by star Brazilian soccer players of yesteryear, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. It started with an apparently pre-recorded piece in a roller rink before she rode into the stadium on a dune buggy, singing \u201cMusic, makes the people come together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel<\/a> led an orchestra through the White Stripes\u2019 sports anthem \u201cSeven Nation Army,\u201d while Animal and other Muppets bopped and shook.<\/p>\n K-pop sensations BTS took to the field in red and black moments later singing \u201cDynamite.\u201d<\/p>\n Promoting the upcoming season of \u201cTed Lasso,\u201d Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, in character, pumped up Justin Bieber, who changed the tempo with the slower \u201cEverything Hallelujah.\u201d Then Shakira and Burna Boy performed their anthem \u201cDai Dai,\u201d heard before all 104 kickoffs in this tournament. <\/p>\n The show wrapped with a chorus of elementary-school students from Staten Island.<\/p>\n THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP\u2019s earlier story follows below.<\/p>\n Jennifer Hudson<\/a>, Robbie Williams and others performed a slew of anthems, Post Malone<\/a> brought an old hit and a new tune and Tom Cruise<\/a> gave an earnest hype-’em-up speech in the closing ceremony before Sunday’s World Cup final. <\/p>\n British singer and former Take That member<\/a> Williams performed his FIFA anthem \u201cDesire,\u201d wearing a blue bedazzled track suit. He was joined by Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger<\/a> and Italian singer Laura Pausini in blue spangled gowns. Williams had released the song a year ago but dropped a new version with the two women earlier in the week. <\/p>\n The streamer IShowSpeed took the field first to perform his World Cup-themed song \u201cChampions,\u201d atop an image of the Empire State Building. Next was Post Malone, who walked on to the New York\/New Jersey Stadium pitch covered with a tarp showing the New York skyline. He sung a brand new song, \u201cChrome Heartbreaker,\u201d and was joined by Swae Lee to perform their 2018 duet \u201cSunflower\u201d on a hexagon-heavy stage in the center of the field. <\/p>\n Tom Cruise, who was also part of the Paris Olympics\u2019 closing ceremony<\/a>, followed them with a speech delivered in polo shirt and jeans. <\/p>\n \u201cToday only two teams remain: Espa\u00f1a!\u201d Cruise said, pausing for cheers before adding, \u201cy Argentina!\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cLet us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Most of the national anthems were piped in during the tournament, but they were performed live on Sunday. EGOT winner and talk show host Jennifer Hudson sang \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner.\u201d Wearing a white suit with red, white and blue trim, she stood in front of a bank of flags of the world, singing a cappella before being joined by a brass band. <\/p>\n Spanish Brass played Spain’s instrumental \u201cLa Marcha Real,\u201d followed by Argentina\u2019s \u201cHimno Nacional Argentino,\u201d sung by pop star Mar\u00eda Becerra, clad in a flowing dress reminiscent of the Argentine flag.<\/p>\n The World Cup will bring Super Bowl vibes to its first halftime show. Along with headliners Shakira, Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber, also slated to perform are characters from \u201cThe Muppets,\u201d Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel<\/a> and the elementary-school PS22 Chorus \u2014 the last joined by Coldplay, whose leader Chris Martin curated the 11-minute halftime performance. <\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n