Shakira loves a World Cup almost as much as she does shaking her hips. She has performed at four separate tournaments (as well as twice in 2010) while the Colombian star has also released two official World Cup anthems in ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’ and this year’s ‘Dai Dai.’
So it was fitting that the ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ singer was on hand for the first ever half-time show to take place at a World Cup Final.
Following brief performances from Madonna, Justin Bieber and The Muppets, Shakira, with some help from Burna Boy took centre stage to sing ‘Dai Dai’.
While the half-time show received a negative response from fans as well as Wayne Rooney on the BBC, a positive talking point was Shakira’s one-of-a-kind dress hand-embroidered by Roberto Cavalli and featuring over 200,000 Swarovski crystals.
Deliberately crafted to shimmer under the bright lights of the stadium, the dress was bejewelled with Flat Back Hotfix crystals and chatons with emitted bright pink and orange colours with the piece taking over 120 man hours to put together.
Speaking to Vogue, Shakira said of her show-stopping outfit: “I wanted the look to feel strong, joyful, and celebratory—something that reflected the energy of the performance but also honoured the significance of the occasion. This is such a global event, so I wanted to wear something that felt timeless but also modern, with movement and personality.”
While she may have gotten the outfit she wanted, the final did not appear to end the way Shakira wanted it to as she was shown looking disappointed when Spain scored. She was previously married to Gerard Pique who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010.
Madonna, flanked by Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, also wore Swarovski during her brief appearance at the half-time ceremony.
While performing her 2000 hit ‘Music’, the pop icon wore a shimmering pink and purple Saint Laurent jacket (emblazoned with “Madonna” and the number 10), a corset and knee-high lace-up boots, she donned a pair of crystal-set fingerless gloves, sunglasses and a matching crystal choker necklace by Giovanna Engelbert at Swarovski, plus a pair of huge sparkling hoop earrings. The necklace has been a recurring item in Madonna’s recent public appearances as she promotes her new album Confessions II with the singer seen wearing it multiple times.
Madonna’s backing dancers also wore outfits adorned with Swarovski crystals during the show, though much of the performance appeared to be pre-recorded.
Swarovski Global Creative Director, Giovanna Engelbert, said of the historic moment: “Millenia stands for bold self-expression, making it a powerful match for Madonna – an artist whose influence continues to shape culture across generations. It was an honour to collaborate with her and her team on these custom Swarovski pieces and bring this vision to life together.”
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