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℗ 2025 Robert Williams / Farrell Music Ltd, under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited Released on: 2025-07-18 Associated Performer, Vocal: Robbie Williams Background Vocal: Emily Parker Lyricist, Percussion, Drums, Composer, Producer: Karl Brazil Recording Engineer, Programmer, Bass, Background Vocal, Guitar, Composer, Lyricist, Producer: Owen Parker Violin, Additional Studio Producer: David Davidson Violin: David Angell Viola: Kristin Wilkinson Cello: Carole Rabinowitz Strings: The Love Sponge Strings Programmer, Producer: Sam Miller Composer, Lyricist: Robert Williams Lyricist, Composer, Mixing Engineer, Producer: Martin Terefe Mixing Engineer: Oskar Winberg Recording Engineer: George Murphy Recording Engineer: Taylor Pollard Mastering Engineer: Matt Colton https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Nho5FPo__hIFbg_UlaCgA

This "truly original" biopic that is "totally enthralling" shoots up trending chart on UK streamerStory by Sam Warner • 7h • Biopic Better Man has shot up the trending charts after being added to Prime Video. The movie, which premiered in cinemas last year, tells the story of Robbie Williams and his rise to fame – though takes the unique approach of having the singer portrayed as a chimpanzee. After being recently released on Prime Video, Better Man has proved an immediate hit, becoming the second most-watched movie in the UK and Ireland. The film largely drew acclaim, sitting at a high 89% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Newsday calling it "truly original", while Time Out said it was "totally enthralling". In Digital Spy's five-star review at the time of its cinema release, we said it was "one of the best movies of the year". Better Man© Entertainment Film Distributors "During Better Man, you'll come to the realisation that there really was no other way to tell the story of Robbie Williams," we added. "He might appear on screen as a chimpanzee, but the movie is just as irreverent and self-aware, while still being honest and emotional, as the star himself." Despite the acclaim, the movie was less successful at the box office, making only $22.5 million worldwide off a budget of $110 million. Jonno Davies takes on the role of chimp Williams (in motion capture), while the movie also features Gavin & Stacey's Alison Steadman and Inside No 9's Steve Pemberton. Better Man teaser trailer© Entertainment Film Speaking to DS last year, Williams compared Better Man to therapy, revealing: "People walk up to me after the screenings and there are floods of tears and they commend me on my bravery which I don't get at all, but thank you. "I know that this is, separate to all of the commercial reasons, therapy. I also know because I've witnessed it in some sort of way. It does some sort of healing, which is also great." Better Man is available to stream now for Prime Video subscribers. This "truly original" biopic that is "totally enthralling" shoots up trending chart on UK streamer

‘I’d broken out of the cult’: How Oasis, addiction and Gary Barlow pushed Robbie Williams into quitting Take ThatStory by Mark Beaumont • 3h • 8 min read The hair was spiked and crusted with peroxide. The eyes were dark, hooded and glazed by fatigue. The outfit was pure Adidas Lad and he appeared to have a tooth missing. Resembling the delinquent love child of 2D and Murdoc from Gorillaz, the geezer – arguably the pinnacle of the form – looked for all the world like a drug dealer who’d jumped the fence and somehow blagged his way backstage pretending to be Robbie Williams from Take That. Yet this was indeed the formerly clean-cut, cheeky-grinning boyband heartthrob, snapped relentlessly at that fateful Glastonbury of 1995 by the eager papparazzi – beer bottle in hand, cigarette in gob and either throwing an arm around Noel Gallagher or receiving a smacker from Liam. “Because I’m in the sort of band I’m in, people are looking at me like, ‘You’re not supposed to be here’,” he told the news cameras, seemingly unaware of the disapproving storm brewing back in the real world, too. In just a few photos, Williams – by curling his Pilton-encrusted fingernails through the flimsy façade of squeaky-clean boyband perfection – exploded the great pop myth more than any Beatle beard. Within weeks of waggling his backside onstage with Oasis, he was ejected from Take That and the band was set on course for collapse, splitting just seven months after his departure. Yet Robbie’s rebellious departure – 30 years ago today – was more than just a heartbreaker for fans and a huge upheaval for the pop world. It stands today as arguably the ultimate expression of Nineties lad culture and a definitive image of the hedonistic abandon of the age. For Williams himself, his real-me emancipation had been a long time stewing. “I’d broken out of the cult,” he said in last year’s Boybands Forever documentary. “[Oasis] were the antithesis of Take That and that very much appealed to me … There were lots of rules and eventually when there’s that many rules, you’re gonna break rules.” A keen stage performer as a child (his Artful Dodger reportedly stole the show at a school production of Oliver!), Williams was just 16 when a typically endearing wink at the end of an otherwise underwhelming audition for manager Nigel Martin-Smith landed him a place as the youngest member of Take That. The band had been put together largely as a vehicle for the songs of Gary Barlow, and Williams soon found himself relegated to the lower end of the band’s hierarchy. “Gary was Nigel’s cash cow,” Williams said. “I was resentful.” Lacking a dance background, Williams struggled to learn the band’s overly intricate dance routines, and when he dared to add a rap verse to a song, he was warned not to ask for any publishing income from it. “You learn your place,” he said, and his place was shaky from the start. He claimed he was warned by Martin-Smith that he was easily replaceable if he messed up: “It made me feel like my place within the band was never safe and guaranteed,” he said. He was left feeling “not loved, not even liked. And I was 16.” Five uneasy pieces: (from left) Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Williams and Jason Orange during Take That’s heyday (PA) Williams likened his experience in Take That to William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, not least due to the animosity that developed between him and Barlow. Tensions were stoked by the fact that it was the younger, 18-year-old singer, not his controlling, self-serious bandmate, who fronted the band’s first top five hit, a hi-NRG cover of Barry Manilow’s “Could It Be Magic”. “I knew that he didn’t like me or felt threatened by me,” Williams said. Barlow explained further in a 2024 podcast: “My friends were Jason [Orange] and Howard [Donald], it was the three of us, we were the older ones, we got on,” he said. “Mark [Owen] and Rob were always a bit removed for us. They were cool, younger … and they were the naughty ones … always off doing something else.” The immense fame that the success of Take That brought only compounded Williams’s insecurities. “The tremendous gift that was bestowed on me and the other boys turned into a nightmare,” he said. “There’s something psychically that happens with having immense notoriety. It’s the opposite of breaking the fourth wall, it’s going back through and inhabiting this strange place that wasn’t what you thought it was … Nobody goes through that level of fame and comes out the other side completely sane or not mentally affected.” Age-old story: by his early twenties, Williams had turned to drink and drugs. Until then, Take That had operated as a relatively strict, hermetic, almost monastic group. “I said to the boys right from the beginning to build a wall around the six of us,” Martin-Smith told news crews early in their career. “When, for example, girlfriends started getting involved in what should be happening with the band, that’s when I’ve seen so many bands start falling apart.” This one fell apart, however, because one member needed to escape. “My particular brand of seeking salvation and safety came in the form of substances and alcohol,” Williams said. “I’d become feral. Lots of coke, lots of darkness, lots of comedowns that were hellish.” Suits you, sir: Take That performing at the Brit Awards ceremony at Alexandra Palace, London, in 1994 (PA) As his substance abuse intensified and Williams entered what he’d later describe to the BBC as “a nervous breakdown, my first of many”, he began missing rehearsals, or turning up in no fit state to perform. “I was ingesting everything I could get my hands on,” he told a 2023 Netflix documentary about his life. “I [was] literally drinking a bottle of vodka a night before going into rehearsals.” His bandmates would pull him up for letting the side down. “I was told this is not how you behave in a boyband,” Williams said. “The sense that I wasn't ready or capable to fulfil the role that was being asked of me was palpable.” “We’d all had our different journeys,” Barlow said, “but it had just [got] too much for him. The day in, day out, the work, the stress of it all, me leading everybody and telling them what to do, it… I was unbearable. They put up with a lot [from] me. I was right all the time and I was the leader all the time. That original role I’d been given, I didn’t give any of it up as the years went on. The band needed to end.” A fateful meeting in the summer of 1995, addressing Williams’s behaviour, proved the breaking point. “It felt like I was in some sort of burning building and I needed to get out,” Williams recalled. “I was like, ‘OK, I’ll do this tour and then I'll leave.’ And they actually went, ‘Actually, if you're going to leave, can you go now?’.” Smiling assassins: ‘Actually, if you’re going to leave, can you go now?’ (PA) His Take That bandmate Donald points to a fundamental lack of understanding and empathy behind the decision. “To have someone close to you that you can speak to about your feelings, that's one of the things we never ever did in the Nineties, hence why Robbie left,” he told the Daily Express. “We never discussed what he was feeling before he left that room. We look back at that moment and [wish] we could have talked more. I wonder if it could have saved him [from] leaving.” “ROBBIE: I QUIT TAKE THAT!” The Sun splashed. The outpouring of grief among fans at the news of Williams’s departure was unprecedented for the age. “One of my friends was off school for days,” one fan recently posted; “I cried for a week,” admitted another. “It was a big shock to us all,” Donald told the ITN cameras as the band regrouped as a four-piece, while Barlow assured viewers: “We’re gonna be here as long as the fans want us here.” Mark Sutherland, music critic “It was pretty seismic,” says music writer and columnist Mark Sutherland, who was working for Smash Hits at Take That’s peak. While it wouldn’t be until the final split of the band the following year that helplines would be set up to counsel distraught fans, Sutherland argues that Robbie leaving was the bigger moment. “The chemistry had been unbalanced by Robbie leaving. And what he actually did by leaving on his own terms – and in such a dramatic way – was to set himself up for a much better future than the rest of the band. When Take That eventually fizzled out, they were left a bit flat-footed. Robbie was already off and running.” Indeed, Williams’s solo career would become a late-Nineties phenomenon. Launching out alone with a cover of George Michael’s “Freedom” just as his old band were disintegrating, he’d soon have huge hits with singles such as “Let Me Entertain You”, “Millennium” and “Angels” and go on to sell 75 million records worldwide as one of the best-selling artists of all time. Within years, he’d become the blueprint for successfully escaping the pop band shackles. In the pink: Williams became the blueprint for escaping the pop band shackles (AFL Photos) “Robbie paved the way for members of other Nineties groups to leave, like Geri Halliwell, Louise, and Brian McFadden,” says Simon Jones, who has worked as a publicist for some of the country’s biggest pop acts, including the Spice Girls and One Direction. “I can remember being in record company meetings years later where the question would always be: would their solo career end up ‘doing a Robbie’?” Jones recalls Williams offering help and advice to other singers who felt like the odd one out in their own bands: “Louise [solo artist and former member of the R&B group Eternal] has spoken openly about how Robbie was a kindred spirit for her.” Perhaps the greatest impact of the manner of Williams’s fall from pop-god grace, though, was in exposing forever the myth of the squeaky-clean boyband image. In that black-toothed Glastonbury grin lay all the human strains, pains and failings so often glossed over by the pop machine. It was only after his Glastonbury breakout, for instance, that the Spice Girls could put on such a genuine and forthright front, and George Michael could own his 1998 arrest for cottaging in LA in the self-mocking lyric and video for subsequent single “Outside”. The butter-wouldn’t-melt image of the Nineties boyband was always an illusion, Sutherland says. “If you worked for Smash Hits you kind of knew that the gap between the public image of these people and what they were really like was quite wide. But there were a lot of music industry resources devoted to making sure the public never became aware of that gap.” By shattering the facade, though, Williams forged a new level of trust and connection with his fanbase. They unequivocally knew that in his cheeky, charming yet knowingly flawed performance, they were getting the real Robbie – untamed, unfiltered, and defiantly off the chain. ‘I’d broken out of the cult’: How Oasis, addiction and Gary Barlow pushed Robbie Williams into quitting Take That

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Freddie Pig 🐽 @TeamFreddiePig 23m If you are a fan of Robbie Williams, you simply have to check out The Robbie Williams Rewind Podcast! https://t.co/FlfyiBNiDL

thomrylance Wild 36 hours in New York watching my mate sing at a football match. Eternally grateful. Core memories made. The loveliest people on earth.

I did not realise it was a cushion 😂. Easily known I do not do too much online shopping 🤭

britpop1990s Peggy Gallagher says in a new interview that she was the "instigator" for Oasis' upcoming reunion. "I was the instigator, yes. But sure, wasn't it always going to happen at some time or other?" she replied. "It was their choice, of course. Look you can't force them to do things they don't want to do." She went on to say she is relieved to see her sons working together again after all this time. "It's great, because nobody wants their kids falling out, do they?" she said, although she admitted to being nervous about the shows. "I'll be glad when it's all just over because it makes me get too stressed." Peggy then revealed that she is planning to attend Oasis' show in Dublin: "That's my plan anyway... it will be great." #oasis #liamgallagher #noelgallagher #britpop Instagram

Vienna - Rocket & LMEY Video thanks to https://www.youtube.com/@tomasstrapko4088

OASIS - Some Might Say - Manchester 11/07 Video thanks to https://www.youtube.com/@THEMattPope OASIS - Cast No Shadow - Manchester 11/07 Video thanks to https://www.youtube.com/@BurNAgebOy777

2loud2oldmusic @2loud2oldmusic · 22h Robbie Williams - 'Life Thru A Lens': The Box Sets (CD & 7" Singles) #RobbieWilliams #LifeThruALens #OldBeforeIDie #Angels #LetMeEntertainYou #EgoAGoGo #SouthOfTheBorder #TeenageMillionaire #Freedom #DesmondChild #EricBazillian #CD https://2loud2oldmusic.com/2025/07/14/robbie-williams-life-thru-a-lens-the-box-sets-cd-7-singles/ via @2loud2oldmusic The Collection: Ep. 65 – Robbie Williams – ‘Life Thru A Lens’: The Box Sets (CD & 7″ Singles) – 2 Loud 2 Old Music

Really enjoyed this interview ..

I love this photo ❤️ Source UK Back in the Day @UKBackintheDay2 · 6h Robbie Williams, 1997

Robbie Williams sings his heart out with Italian singer Laura Pausini at FIFA Club World Cup while Coldplay and Doja Cat also perform in halftime show By LILY JOBSON FOR MAILONLINE Published: 20:44 EDT, 13 July 2025 | Updated: 20:53 EDT, 13 July 2025 Robbie Williams belted out the new Official FIFA Anthem, Desire, alongside Italian singer Laura Pausini at FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final on Sunday. The Take That icon, 51, wrote and recorded the high-energy track ahead of the final, after he was confirmed as FIFA's Music Ambassador. Coldplay and Doja Cat also performed a jaw-dropping performance during the halftime show. Chelsea secured a surprise 3-0 win against PSG, with Cole Palmer scoring a brace while Joao Pedro was also on target. Trump watched the game alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino and then took centre stage when the trophy was given to Chelsea. Co-written with long-time collaborators Karl Brazil and Owen Parker, alongside Erik Jan Grob, Robbie's track made its debut in the opening show. In a major move for FIFA, Desire will be used across all future tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and beyond. For the first time ever, the new anthem will play as teams walk onto the pitch at every FIFA match worldwide. Described as a stadium-ready anthem packed with emotional energy, the song aims to capture the intensity, pride and unity that defines football on the global stage. In his new ambassador role, Robbie has also invited iconic Italian singer Laura to feature on the track. Speaking about the role, Robbie said: 'Music and football bring people together like nothing else - each with their own universal language of connection, emotion, spirit and community. 'When those worlds come together, there’s nothing like it, and I’m beyond honoured to be the FIFA Music Ambassador. 'Football and music have both been part of my life for as long as I can remember, so this means a lot to me on a personal level.' On the inspiration behind Desire, he added: 'I’ve grown up watching the walk-outs, the anthems, the drama. So writing and recording the official FIFA anthem is a real privilege. Chelsea players were left bemused as Donald Trump stole the limelight during their trophy lift The Take That icon wrote and recorded the high-energy track ahead of the final, after he was confirmed as FIFA's Music Ambassador Co-written with long-time collaborators Karl Brazil and Owen Parker, alongside Erik Jan Grob, Robbie's track made its debut in the opening show In a major move for FIFA, Desire will be used across all future tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and beyond For the first time ever, the new anthem will play as teams walk onto the pitch at every FIFA match worldwide Described as a stadium-ready anthem packed with emotional energy, the song aims to capture the intensity, pride and unity that defines football on the global stage Chelsea secured a surprise 3-0 win against PSG, with Cole Palmer scoring a brace while Joao Pedro was also on target Trump watched the game alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino and then took centre stage when the trophy was given to Chelsea 'I wanted to create something that captures all of it - the passion, the nerves, the pride and the majesty of that feeling just before kick-off. He continued: 'Football and music have always meant the world to me, and bringing them together on this kind of stage gives me goosebumps. 'I know I’ll get to perform this song at some of my favourite tournaments in the coming years, which fills me with excitement. 'It’s a real honour that Laura Pausini accepted my invitation to feature on the song – she’s an incredible artist with the perfect voice.' Laura Pausini said: 'It’s an honour for me to be invited to join Robbie Williams and be featured on the song DESIRE, written by Robbie. 'The song is amazing, really touching. It’s a dream to be with him for The FIFA Club World Cup. 'Since I was a little girl growing up in Italy I remember the thrill and passion for football in my home country. 'To be able to perform live with Robbie Williams in front of passionate football fans and to be heard by music fans around the world will be truly amazing.' Robbie Williams sings his heart out with Italian singer Laura Pausini at FIFA Club World Cup while Coldplay and Doja Cat also perform in halftime show | Daily Mail Online

Jonno Davies @Jonno_Davies · 11h Better Man is now available to stream for free on @primevideouk so here’s some BTS of ‘Land of (quite literally) a Thousand Dances’ 🐵" 10% cheeky, 20% crotch, 30% sweat. Who’s watched it?

Does anyone know if this site is an official RW site , I see the warehouse is in China 🤔 Robbie Williams Shop - Official Robbie Williams Merchandise Store The Robbie Williams official site leaves a lot to be desired at times especially when it comes to merchandise , there are a few items on there but not a lot. Britpop – Robbie Williams

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Head on over to Robbie Williams Rewind Podcast where Lucy & Matt chat to Owen Parker Link RWR Special - Owen Parker - Ro…–Robbie Williams Rewind – Apple Podcasts We’re back with another special episode of Robbie Williams Rewind, and this time we’re joined by the brilliant Owen Parker! Owen has been Robbie’s keyboardist since 2019, joining the band for his Las Vegas residency and the epic XXV Tour. A vital part of Robbie’s musical team, he’s also co-written and worked closely with Robbie and Karl Brazil on The Christmas Present including tracks like “Home,” “Darkest Night,” and “Can’t Stop Christmas”, and more recently, on Robbie’s upcoming album Britpop. In this episode, Owen gives us a behind-the-scenes look at life on tour and in the studio with Robbie, and he shares fantastic stories from his career working with music legends like the Pet Shop Boys, Simple Minds, Girls Aloud, and many more. Follow Owen on Instagram @owenparker74 Get in touch with us at robbiewilliamsrewind.com & @rewindrobbie on Instagram & Twitter. & Yes, Owen is a Pink Floyd fan 😊

If I am totally honest this duet did nothing for me , not that I was expecting it to . I like the song but I don't think they sing well together Having said all that this was a really good gig for Rob to get. Desire will be used across all future tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and beyond. For the first time ever, the new anthem will play as teams walk onto the pitch at every FIFA match worldwide.

Tom Hindle Jul 14, 2025 00:33+01:00 Doja Cat, Robbie Williams and Donald Trump: Club World Cup offered a fever dream of a final, a chaotic event that - despite trying so very hard to be a spectacle - simply fell short The final of FIFA's expanded tournament - beyond the actual result - was high on ambition but confusing in execution EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - No one really knows who Robbie Williams is in America. But the English singer appeared here all the same on Sunday, clad in a white spangled suit, singing a tune no one knew, the lyrics of which didn't really make sense. He was soon joined by Laura Pausini, the Italian popstar who is equally unknown in the U.S. They sang about "overcoming fury" and "love in slow mo." Their confusing performance perfectly summarized what was a curious and often baffling vibe surrounding the Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. FIFA president Gianni Infantino pitched this competition as a wonderful collision of the world, different parts of cultures handpicked and meshed together in the melting pot of America - kind of like, well, a World Cup. And in theory, that should work. PSG and Chelsea are both European powers. They have met eight times in the Champions League over the years, including two straight seasons from 2014-2016. Just five weeks ago, the Parisians beat Inter to become Champions of Europe. Putting these two on the same pitch and allowing them to play football - with the fat trimmed off - should work in isolation. But take a tournament in his gestation period, still finding its feet in a country still formulating its soccer passion, and the result can feel forced, overdone, even a little silly at times. Such was the case with this Club World Cup final: a mixture of everything - different cultures, different stimuli, different teams, different people, different music, different cultures - colliding together in an awkward manner. 'It can't be the only way'Penn Station was crowded. This is, effectively, the unofficial hub of the Club World Cup, the train station in midtown Manhattan that has mainlined tens of thousands of fans to MetLife Stadium nine times this summer. On previous occasions, it has been blessed with the roars of Palmeiras fans, the chant of Fluminense supporters flooding it ahead of the semifinals, and the chatter of the Real Madrid faithful. On a debilitatingly humid Sunday afternoon, though, it was simply chaos. One supporter in Chelsea blue was hurried down a thronged staircase, and remarked, to no one in particular, that "it can't be the only way" to the train - such was the clash of bodies down a narrow passage. The train ride, an awkward journey that requires one change at the dull concrete of Secaucus junction, was even more packed, a mixture of confused day-trippers unaware there was a soccer match to worry about, Chelsea fans, and a handful of very vocal Fluminense support, having presumably bought a ticket to the final assuming that their side would beat the London club in the Their chatter brought some noise that was otherwise lacking pre-match. The globalization of the tournament was clear on the ride, though. This tournament was meant to have global appeal, and it was certainly thriving. One Chelsea supporter was traveling from nearby Long Island. He had paid a "not bad" $240 for tickets in the second level of the bowl. Another had saved up his credit card points to watch his first football match in the United States (he is a Manchester United fan). Tom Hindle Coronas, water, and more CoronasCoronas, water and more Coronas were on offer. At least, that's what the lady yelling in Spanish insisted. The parking lot vibe was always going to be awkward. Neither club has a history of tailgating like the 90,000 fans who show up to watch an NFL game at this stadium - home of both the New York Jets and the New York Giants - or barbecuing like so many South American supporters who have shown up throughout the tournament. Instead, it was a cultural collision of sorts. Fans flooded off the train. Hopeful fruit sellers waited for takers. A man in a Fluminense shirt stood around wearing a wizard's hat for no apparent reason. Unofficial Chelsea headware was flogged ("normally $25, but for you, my friend, $20," GOAL was informed). A South American financial company, Grupo Promerica, handed flyers out promising "experiencias fenomenas." Everything else was rather subdued. The faint thud of Parisian drums from the 500 PSG ultras that had made the trip could be heard from outside the stadium as kickoff approached. But otherwise, there was still a distinct Americanness about it all. The move to the stadium was less of a march and more of a stroll. There was little urgency to be found. That signature pre-match buzz that so often defines big games was lacking. Getty Images 'Lots of local supporters backing our team'There was a fair share of uncertainty as to how packed the stadium would be before the game kicked off. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy promised a sellout just a few days before kickoff. A PSG spokesperson guaranteed 500 ultras from France, 1,000 followers from academies and fan clubs, and "lots of local supporters backing our team." But. The Parisian support occupied only a tiny pocket of the stadium. Otherwise, there was a remarkable pro-Chelsea contingent, despite the club referring queries about fan attendance to FIFA. And they all gathered to see a baffling pre-match ritual. A giant replica of the CWC trophy was shuffled onto the field. A drum line accompanied it, as did blow-up badges of the two clubs playing. U.S. President Donald Trump was said to be attending, and indeed he showed up just before the Williams' pre-game performance, scowling and cheering from a box high in the stands, Infantino by his side. This isn't, you'd imagine, Mr. President's kind of fun. And then Williams showed up to sing. There was some polite applause from the English fans in the crowd, but those in attendance seemed largely anxious as the pre-match rituals dragged on and on. The individual introductions, which require long walks across from the temporary tunnel to the opposite dugout near the two benches, were greeted with far less enthusiasm than they were at the start of the tournament, despite the fact that legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer belted each name with gusto. "Let's get ready to rumble!" The box office was still open before the match, and it seemed there were still a few empty seats dotted around the concrete bowl as the whistle blew. Getty Images 'Let's go Chelsea!'The redeeming factor, in all of this, was that - somewhat surprisingly - the two sides played out a remarkably compelling football match. PSG had just beaten Real Madrid, 4-0, in the semifinal, and were favorites by some distance to replicate a similar kind of romp. Their manager, Luis Enrique, had insisted before the match that Chelsea shouldn't be taken lightly - and it turns out he was correct in his summation. The Blues battered PSG for 45 minutes. Cole Palmer was terrific throughout, dropping into pockets of space and finding all sorts of deadly angles in and around the box. He should have scored after eight minutes, but found only side netting. Still, Chelsea pressed on. He didn't miss on the second time of asking, though, tucking a tidy pass into the corner on 22 minutes. They continued to play stellar football, Palmer providing a near carbon copy to make it two, before a delightful chip from new signing Joao Pedro saw them head into half time leading 3-0. The Chelsea fans were in full voice by then, a cacophonous chant "Let's go Chelsea!" echoing around the humid concrete bowl. The Parisians, usually so disciplined in their press and energized in their football, went flat. Their ultras fell largely silent. And they rather strolled through the second half, too. If the first was an attacking display of the highest order, the second was a fine defensive rear-guard showing. They had less of the ball, but were content to defend. And the fans were happy to defend with them, too, applauding every tackle and shouting at every clearance. Their side were deserved winners here, and they knew it. Getty Images Coldplay save the dayOf course, there had to be a half time show mixed in. This is what happens in big game American sports. It was a largely confusing affair. It wanted to be a Super Bowl, it appeared, but didn't quite know how to live up to that standard. FIFA had promised in a statement before the game that "football and music superstars to deliver nonstop spectacle at FIFA Club World Cup Final." Chris Martin of Coldplay was the man supposedly in charge of piecing it all together, and after a scan of his contacts, offered a mashup of a show featuring Tems, J Balvin and Doja Cat. The result was an agreeable 10 minutes - but one in which fans mostly filed out of their seats and made for the shade. J Balvin danced on a platform on the third level of the bowl. Tems lip-synced admirably. Doja Cat appeared wearing Crystal Palace colors and sang, while a giant soccer ball floated behind her on a massive screen. There was time for one big final flush, too, as Coldplay popped up to sing "Sky Full of Stars." Nine minutes into the show, and it was the one thing that seemed to actually get people moving. It did little to reinforce the notion that football is made for half-time entertainment. Perhaps unremarkable was the best outcome - especially given that even a majority American crowd seemed disinterested. Getty Images 'World Champions 2025'As the full time whistle blared, and Chelsea's players collapsed to the pitch in exasperation, the stadium around them rose. There was emotion from both sides, Luis Enrique was involved in a shoving match with Pedro - who fell rather dramatically on his back after the faintest of touches. But oddly, it gave the whole thing some color. The game, to be sure, had been a hugely watchable occasion, but the spectacle around it has been baffling, a confusing collection of colliding visual imagery. “There’s a lot of tension, a lot of pressure, and a whole bunch of pushing that was going on," Enrique said. "My intention was to avoid any type of situation getting worse, that was my goal." The whole thing just felt weird. Having some sort of traditional aggro was familiar territory to ground it in - even if it came after the final whistle. There were some further antics. The trophy lift was almost as garish as the opening ceremony, a collection of gold and oversized flags. Chelsea's players, now donning "World Champions 2025" kits, looked happy enough to be there. Of course, there was a presidential appearance. Trump took the field to loud boos from the crowd, and handed out medals, one-by-one to winning and losing teams. Cole Palmer was visibly baffled at shaking Trump's hand after earning the Golden Ball Award. And there was one final flourish, Trump standing there, grinning and clapping, alongside Chelsea as they lifted the trophy, a baffling end of a fever dream of a tournament, a chaotic final that - despite trying so, so hard to be a sporting spectacle - simply fell short. Doja Cat, Robbie Williams and Donald Trump: Club World Cup offered a fever dream of a final, a chaotic event that - despite trying so very hard to be a spectacle - simply fell short | Goal.com