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Justin Bieber was spotted on the streets of New York City the day after his World Cup performance drew mixed reactions from viewers.
The 32-year-old Canadian pop star took to the pitch during the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup halftime show on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, as Spain defeated defending champs Argentina 1-0. The singer faced criticism over his slowed-down performance during the final match, after which he was seen partying with his wife, Hailey Bieber, and blowing off steam smoking on a Manhattan sidewalk.
The sighting comes after reports that Madonna and Justin Bieber 'created real tension' ahead of the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show.
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On July 20, the hitmaker was seen wearing baggy blue shorts and a white tee while sitting on a New York City curb smoking with longtime friend and collaborator, Eddie Benjamin, after his performance went viral on social media.
The star-studded halftime show was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and featured performances from Madonna, BTS, Shakira featuring Burna Boy, The Muppets, and Justin, who sang a special rendition of his song, EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH.
Justin was introduced by Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, who appeared to sub him into the game before he took the stage with an acoustic guitar.
Viewers were not pleased with his performance, taking to X to complain about his song choice, with one writing, "Of all the songs on his catalogue, it's this song Justin Bieber decided to perform at the halftime show??????"
One viewer added, "i love justin bieber but brudda you had some many bangers to choose to play that dog s--- at the world cup," as another agreed, "Justin Bieber performing at the Fifa World Cup singing a song that should be performed in a church not to hype up a sports crowd."
Others piled on with complaints like, "Justin Bieber brought the mood down and Shakira brought back the World Cup vibe," as many compared his lackluster showing to Shakira's high-energy performance of her World Cup anthem Dai Dai.
One viewer sarcastically commented, "Nothing hypes a crowd more than a slow acoustic guitar set from Justin Bieber." However, he did have a supporter in Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, who simply tweeted, "Justin rules." Sean Ono Lennon — son of Yoko Ono and the late John Lennon — also lavished praise on Bieber, as he tweeted, "Bieber alone on an acoustic no backing track singing live. Respect."
Justin, who was a last-minute addition to the lineup, didn't appear to be bothered by the criticism, as he was spotted partying in New York City with his wife, Hailey Bieber, and other A-listers after reports that he and Madonna clashed behind the scenes of the inaugural FIFA World Cup halftime show.
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