FIFA were willing to break one of their Laws of the Game to accommodate the excesses of the Club World Cup final on Sunday night.
An intriguing spectacle and surprise 3-0 result in Chelsea’s favour against Paris Saint-Germain was overshadowed by events off the pitch. Chief among them was the scene-stealing display of United States President Donald Trump, who insisted on taking centre stage for the Blues’ trophy lift.
But earlier, the Super Bowl-style half-time show attracted attention for all the wrong reasons and necessitated the flouting of one of the game’s laws.
At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, reggaeton artist J Balvin, rapper Doja Cat, Tems and Emmanuel Kelly performed to the crowd. They were joined on stage by Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin, who made a surprise guest appearance for the show.
The only problem – apart from claims of ‘utter woke nonsense’ by fans – was the duration of the set. At a whopping 24 minutes, the showcase far exceeded the seventh statute in the Laws of the Game.
Law 7 of the IFAB’s (International Football Association Board) states that ‘players are entitled to an interval at half-time, not exceeding 15 minutes’.
It adds: ‘A short drinks break (which should not exceed one minute) is permitted at the interval of half-time in extra time. Competition rules must state the duration of the half-time interval and it may be altered only with the referee’s permission.’
Reacting to the show on social media, many football were bemused by the spectacle.
One wrote: ‘Having a halftime show during this Club World Cup final feels so weird’. Another user wrote: ‘Too many music shows in this Club World Cup’.
The other notable event during the evening came after the final whistle when tensions boiled over and PSG boss Enrique appeared to strike Chelsea striker Joao Pedro in the face during a heated post-match clash between both teams.
Pedro was initially embroiled in a confrontation with Gianluigi Donnarumma and Achraf Hakimi – with Andrey Santos also on the scene – before Enrique marched over towards the situation.
But rather than defusing the situation, the Spanish manager made it physical, laying his hands on Pedro before being held back by his own player Presnel Kimpembe.
Pedro fell to the floor in dramatic fashion, clutching at his face.
Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia stepped in to defend their team-mate, holding back a visibly frustrated Gianluigi Donnarumma, who appeared to berate Pedro for his animated reaction.
What followed was pandemonium, with around five Chelsea players swarming Donnarumma in the aftermath.
The PSG goalkeeper was shoved by Tosin Adarabioyo, as Kimpembe continued his attempts to defuse tensions alongside Chelsea’s Filip Jorgensen.
Pedro eventually got back to his feet, only to find himself at the centre of a chaotic melee involving too many bodies to count.
On the touchline, a furious Enzo Maresca stormed in to drag his players away, shouting at those involved as he tried to restore order.
