The Cure’s Robert Smith Blasts FIFA’s World Cup Final Half-Time Show: ‘Please Just F— Off’
Madonna, BTS, Shakira and Justin Bieber will appear in Sunday's (July 19) first-ever show, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin.
Robert Smith of The Cure performs at Madison Square Garden on June 20, 2023 in New York, New York.
The Cure’s Robert Smith is not looking forward to the Chris Martin-curated half-time show at Sunday’s (July 19) FIFA World Cup final. For the first time in its history, the final will feature a half-time show, which runs to 11 minutes of the allotted 15-minute break. Broadcasters, however, expect the total half-time break to potentially run to 30 minutes, a violation of FIFA’s own rules.
The move has been roundly criticized as has the introduction of “hydration breaks” during the first and second halves, with fans often booing the breaks in the stadium.
Ahead of the match-up between Argentina and Spain for the trophy at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, Smith has blasted the show – set to feature BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira and Madonna – and FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino in a pair of posts on The Cure’s official Instagram profile.
Sharing a description of the event alongside his own commentary, Smith’s caption reads: “The half-time show, which has been curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, will feature Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and the K‑pop boyband BTS. Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantosser, has described the half-time show as ‘groundbreaking spectacle’ that will ‘celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle.’ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH… #Breadandcircuses #MUGWANK #pleasejustf–koff.”
A few hours later, Smith clarified that while he was not criticizing the artists themselves, he was disdainful of the show as a concept and the fact that President Trump will be on hand alongside Infantino to award the winner the coveted trophy.
He added, “sigh… FOR THOSE OF US NOT QUITE GETTING IT: THE POINT IS NOT R E A L L Y ABOUT W H O IS CURATING OR PERFORMING, IT IS ABOUT THE #MUGWANK I D E A OF A FOOTBALL WORLD CUP FINAL HALF TIME SHOW… IF YOU NOW UNDERSTAND MY ‘AAAAAAAGH!’ A BIT BETTER, BUT STILL DON’T AGREE, PLEASE ADJUST YOUR RED CAP, YOUR ‘I 🖤 JANNY + DONNY + $$’ TSHIRT AND… KNOCK YOURSELF OUT? ONWARDS… RSX PS. “Infantosser has said he and US president Trumpton will small hand over trophy on Sunday”. SADLY, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH A’S LEFT FOR THE ‘ARGH’ THAT SHOULD FOLLOW… #breadandcircuses #pleasejustf–koff #f–kfifa #justlookup.”
Smith is a longtime fan of west London team Queens Park Rangers. On Wednesday (July 17), England crashed out of the tournament following a 2-1 defeat to Argentina, with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger caught on camera expressing his disappointment.
The Cure is currently touring through Europe on a festival run with their next show set to take place on Friday (July 17) in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
