Sports
The top 10 Super Bowl halftime shows, ranked
When people watch the Super Bowl, they have certain expectations. They want to see a great football game between two of the best teams in the 
NFL. They want to see the best commercials, and it’s a bonus if they’re funny as well.
Football fans—but especially their non-football fan friends and family—also want to see great musical performances at halftime by the biggest musical acts in the world.
Sometimes it is a massive disappointment, with The Black Eyed Peas widely considered the worst of all time and the New Kids on the Block failing to entertain fans during their heyday. However, the best Super Bowl halftime shows had almost everyone talking.
Here is our ranking of the top-10 best halftime performances in Super Bowl history.
10
Lady Gaga – Super Bowl LI (2016)
For many years, Lady Gaga was an acquired taste for many fans, but she has since become as much of a musical icon as anyone. She came out to perform at the Super Bowl LI halftime show, and many NFL fans at the time weren’t sure what to expect. At the time, she was as much known for her meat suits as she was for her music. Thankfully, fans had nothing to worry about.
Lady Gaga performed the National Anthem the year before at the Super Bowl, and she ended up turning in a masterful performance at her Super Bowl halftime show too.
She opened with a patriotic song, mixing “God Bless America” with “This Land Is Your Land,” possibly to win over the NFL hardcore fans, and then she launched into her own hits, including “Poker Face,” “Born This Way,” “Million Reasons,” and then “Bad Romance.” There were also drones forming American flags in the sky to add to the patriotic spirit.
9
Paul McCartney – Super Bowl XXXIX (2004)
Paul McCartney performing at the Super Bowl was almost an answer to the fans who ended up offended at the previous year’s performance. That was when Justin Timberlake accidentally exposed Janet Jackson on national TV. What better way to combat that than by bringing out one of the Beatles to perform a stripped-down rock show at halftime?
McCartney didn’t disappoint either. He came out and sang “Drive My Car” to open the show, proving he was there to have some fun. He also sang “Get Back,” his Wings hit “Live and Let Die,” and then finished off with a crowd-pleasing “Hey Jude,” which became a sing-a-long with the entire world.
8
Madonna – Super Bowl XLVI (2011)
Madonna was at the height of her popularity in the 1980s and early 1990s. She had a chance to do her Super Bowl halftime show in 2012, two decades after her peak, right before she released some new music. She proved that it was never too late to deliver an inspired show, as she strode out carried by Gladiators, and then launched into a performance of some of her most popular songs.
Madonna wasn’t alone ether, as M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj joined her for a rendition of her newest song at the time, “Give Me All Your Luvin.” LMFAO, Cee Lo Green, Jamie King, and Cirque du Soleil performers were also on hand. Madonna ended up singing “Vogue,” “Music,” “Open Your Heart,” “Express Yourself,” and “Like a Prayer” to finish things off.
7
Bruce Springsteen – Super Bowl XLIII (2008)
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band finally agreed to accept an invitation to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show following the 2008 season. Four years after Paul McCartney and three years after the Rolling Stones, the Super Bowl kept the classic rock acts coming and, once again, the veterans delivered on the big stage of the Super Bowl in front of a nationwide audience.
Springsteen was at his peak in the 1980s, thanks to his hit “Born in the USA,” but he chose not to sing that song at the Super Bowl. Instead, he turned in a set of four songs that included “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” “Born to Run,” “Working on a Dream,” and “Glory Days.” The Boss even changed the lyrics of that last song to feature lines about football.
6
Beyoncé – Super Bowl XLVII (2012)
Beyoncé was a special guest at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2016 with Coldplay and Bruno Mars. However, her true time to shine came at Super Bowl XLVII three years prior when she performed as the headlining act and delivered an amazingly inspired performance. She came out and sang “Crazy in Love,” “Baby Boy,” and “End of Time.”
However, on top of her own incredible live act, this was also a chance for Destiny’s Child to enjoy a reunion with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joining Bey on the stage. This show also included a lot more songs than usual. Destiny’s Child sang “Bootylicious,” “Independent Women,” and “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).” It all ended with Beyoncé singing “Halo” to finish a monster performance.
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5
The Rolling Stones – Super Bowl XL (2005)
Sometimes, what a Super Bowl needs is some good old-fashioned rock and roll. This happened at the Super Bowl XL halftime show when The Rolling Stones came out and performed some of their classics for fans. This was one year after Paul McCartney performed, giving the big game classic rock acts for back-to-back years. The Stones didn’t disappoint.
There was even a funny moment during the show where Mick Jagger joked they could have performed their next song at Super Bowl I, before launching into “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The rest of their set included “Start Me Up” and “Rough Justice.” If there was one downfall to the show, it was the NFL using a five-second delay to censor any song lyrics considered explicit.
4
Dr. Dre & Friends – Super Bowl LVI (2021)
No one knew what to expect when Dr. Dre got the Super Bowl halftime show at Super Bowl LVI. Dre was bringing his friends, and this seemed like a show that the censors would need to keep a close eye on. While there was one controversial moment, the show itself ended up as a tremendous success with some of the best stars in rap and hip-hop history showing why they were the best in the game.
Snoop Dogg came out and rapped “California Love” with Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige sang “Family Affair,” Kendrick Lamar rapped “Alright,” and Eminem rapped “Lose Yourself.” It was here that Eminem dropped to a knee in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, angering some and delighting others around the NFL. 50 Cent also made an appearance, recreating an iconic shot from his megahit “In Da Club.” For anyone who loves rap, this was possibly the best Super Bowl halftime show ever.
3
Michael Jackson – Super Bowl XXVII (1992)
For years, there wasn’t anything special about the Super Bowl halftime show. That all changed after the 1992 season when the biggest musical star in the modern era made his way to the field to knock it out of the park. Michael Jackson performed at Super Bowl XXVII and blew everyone away. If there was any indication of how popular Michael was, it was shown when he came out to start and then stood completely still and quiet for 90 seconds as the fans serenaded him.
Then, MJ sang “Billie Jean” and “Black and White” before he went on to sing “Heal the World,” which was his message song at the time. This was the show that proved that if the Super Bowl brought in a mega-entertainer, they could keep everyone watching TV during the halftime show.
2
U2 – Super Bowl XXXVI (2001)
There was more to U2’s performance at the Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show than just a great performance. This was the Super Bowl four months after 9/11 and the nation was not only at its most patriotic, but also on high alert. However, what U2—a band that isn’t even from the United States—did was incredible. They put on a show that unified fans across the country.
U2 made their performance a tribute to the victims of 9/11 and did it by starting with the song “Beautiful Day.” When they sang “MLK,” they scrolled the names of the fallen at 9/11 on the giant screen. They sang “Where The Streets Have No Name” and Bono revealed the inside of his jacket had the American flag on it. U2 understood the assignment and knocked it out of the park.
1
Prince – Super Bowl XLI (2006)
The best Super Bowl halftime show of all time came after the 2006 season at Super Bowl XLI. This was the year that Prince took over the stage and owned it like only he could. However, what really made Prince’s performance so amazing was that, of the songs he performed, only half were his own songs and the rest were covers of beloved classic rock songs in Prince’s own unique style.
He also did his thing with the Florida A&M University marching band on the field, performing along with him. The set list was amazing. The songs he performed included “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Purple Rain,” the latter of which served as his finale and was performed as rain poured down on him.
The other songs he sang were Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary,” Bob Dylan’s “All Among The Watchtower,” and Foo Fighter’s “Best of You.” It was proof that Prince was still one of the best live performers of his era.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and all contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless stated otherwise.
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Ronaldinho’s love affair with a football isn’t over. The Brazilian icon, now 46, has put pen to paper on a deal with Ravenna, the Serie C outfit based in the north of Italy.
Whether he actually pulls on a shirt for a competitive fixture remains a different question entirely, and even the club’s own hierarchy can’t seem to agree on the answer.
News of the move broke via Gazzetta dello Sport, with the report revealing Ronaldinho will be officially unveiled at a glitzy event in Miami on the 23rd of June. The former Ballon d’Or winner was in a typically upbeat mood when discussing the move, and his words have only added to the excitement among fans hoping for one more glimpse of the magic.
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“New colours, same smile.”
“I can’t wait to be able to dance on the ball again to write a new story together with Ignazio and the whole Cipriani family. Football has always been a source of joy for me, I want to bring the same spirit to Ravenna.”
Club owner Ignazio Cipriani, who split his time between Italy and a long stint living in the United States, couldn’t hide his excitement at landing one of his footballing heroes. “I spent 24 years of my life in the United States, but I still consider Ravenna my home. Acquiring Ronaldinho is something absolutely extraordinary for the club; he was my idol, and his impact on football goes beyond what he did on the pitch.”
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Vice-president Ariedo Braida, who signed Ronaldinho for AC Milan in 2008, initially poured cold water on any playing involvement:
“Ronaldinho will do a marketing event with us but will not play for Ravenna in Serie C next season, also because he’s 46. I wish he could still play.”
Yet in a separate interview, Braida left the door open: “Ronaldinho is a timeless champion,” he said. “Will he play? We’ll see, but it’s not ruled out.”
The World Cup winner’s last competitive outing came for Fluminense in 2015, after a career spanning Paris Saint Germain, Barcelona and Milan, where he scored 26 goals in 95 games.
The US Open got underway on the 18th of June, with the best golfers battling it out for the glittering trophy and the glory that comes with it.
The 2026 US Open is the 126th edition of this fabled tournament, and it is hosting iconic names in Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Scottie Scheffler at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.
But there is one name who has notably missed out on the weekend’s action, and it is not the first time he hasn’t made the cut for a Major this year. In fact, it’s the third time in a row now.
He has, however, won two Majors before, winning the 2020 and 2024 US Open and was part of the US team that won the Ryder Cup in 2021.
He was also tied for third in The Players Championship in 2021, and is known for his analytical approach to golf, having a successful amateur career where he won the NCAA Division I championship and the US Amateur in the same year. Winning the US Open meant that he was only the third player to have won those three championships, after golfing royalty Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.
But Bryson DeChambeau’s fortunes seem to have run out as he has missed the cut for the 2026 US Open after struggling for form in the second round.
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His despair will be further compounded by an Instagram post he made just a day before the tournament, with the 32-year-old posing with both thumbs up.
It is the caption, however, that renders the post now unfortunate and plain awkward.
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It read: “Like this post if you think I’m going to make the cut.”
Unsurprisingly, the comments didn’t hold back, and some were particularly brutal, with one fan commenting: “Like if Bryson missed the cut for the second year in a row.”
In hindsight, perhaps DeChambeau can see he was tempting fate and look at his post with a wry smile, using it as fuel for the fourth and final Major of the year, The Open Championship, in July. It is a moment that comes with humour and empathy in equal doses, as the cruel twist of reality so often does.
The Californian will be forced to watch the remainder of the action in New York from the sidelines as his dream of a third US Open victory goes unfulfilled, but he’ll need to dust himself off and reset so that he can come back stronger and end his nightmare run of performances.
DeChambeau will be eagerly awaiting July’s Major so that he can prove he’s still a valiant competitor and hasn’t lost his touch around the course.
Tottenham Hotspur chiefs and Roberto De Zerbi disagree over the future of Luka Vuskovic following a third bid from Brighton and Hove Albion, according to former Spurs scout Mick Brown.
While Tottenham have been busy adding two new centre-backs to De Zerbi’s squad this summer in the form of Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke, it has raised questions over the futures of others currently in the Spurs squad.
As things stand, the Italian coach has Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, Senesi, Van Hecke and Vuskovic to pick from for two centre-back spots in his preferred formation.
You would expect that when the Van Hecke signing is confirmed and announced, that at least two of the aforementioned players could be leaving the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Of those who were Tottenham players before the summer, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso seem the most likely to be staying, even if the former has been linked with a move to Liverpool from reports in his homeland this week.
Question marks have been raised over the future of captain Romero for months, while Dragusin has been linked with a move away too.
Spurs fans may have been hoping to see more of Vuskovic following a successful loan spell with Hamburg last term, but instead he is the subject of strong interest from Brighton.
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Brighton have just launched a third bid worth £45m for the Croatia international, having already seen two offers rejected by Spurs in recent days.
A difference in opinion is emerging between Tottenham chiefs and their Italian manager too, with Brown telling Football Insider that the 46-year-old is willing to let Vuskovic leave the club this summer.
However, he adds that Spurs officials ideally want to keep the highly-rated 19-year-old unless they can land a huge fee for him, with one report suggesting they want £70m, and would prefer another loan move for the Croatian if he is to go.
Brown said: “It looks like De Zerbi is happy to let Vuskovic leave this summer.
“But Tottenham don’t necessarily think the same, they brought him in as a young player who could develop and then become key for them long-term, rather than immediately.
“So he’s still very highly thought of, he was impressive on loan at Hamburg last year, and from what I’ve heard, they would have been open to letting him go on loan again.”
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De Zerbi Makes Vuskovic Stance Clear
De Zerbi hinted at his stance over younger players towards the end of the season when he favoured the likes of Joao Palhinha over Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, who had played big roles in Tottenham’s campaign up to that point.
The additions of Senesi and Van Hecke one again suggest the Italian is ready to go with the experienced options as he looks to lead Spurs back up the Premier League standings, which ultimately means that minutes will be limited for someone like Vuskovic, despite his potential.
While a loan move would probably suit Tottenham and De Zerbi, the player is clearly pushing for a permanent move where he knows he will be playing regularly.
Now it’s up to Brighton to submit an offer that will make Spurs consider selling a player they rate so highly.
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