Football fans have been left divided after the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final kicked off with the 'The Pepsi Max Show' featuring artists such as Becky Hill.
England's women's football team is hoping to bring football home as they face off against Germany in the Euro final today (31 July), but before the match got underway fans were kept entertained by the event's first-ever pre-match show.
Hill headlined the show which also involved performances by Stefflan Don and Ultra Nate, with the artists singing from the middle of the pitch at Wembley before it was taken over by the teams.
The headliner said it was an 'incredible feeling' to be leading the 'first-ever UEFA 2022 Women's EURO Final Show presented by Pepsi MAX', adding: "The women's game has come a long way in recent years and I'm honoured to be a part of the celebration that it so rightly deserves. Wembley Stadium is one of the most famous venues in the world and I can't wait to bring the party to fans across the globe."
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Hill also told The Mirror her crew had been 'rehearsing all week' for the five-minute performance, saying it was 'super exciting', but her enthusiasm wasn't shared by everyone.
As the singer took to the pitch, some football fans criticised the decision to include a show before the football match and likened the scene to America's Super Bowl.
One unimpressed fan tweeted: "Dear @UEFAcom PLEASE, stop trying to turn our game into Super Bowl! Our great game doesn’t need all the artificial drama!"
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Another commented: "I love Becky Hill, easily one of the nicest pop stars I’ve worked with, charming and so humble. But UEFA needs to realise we don’t need a musical warm up to these events, no matter how much Pepsi want us to have one."
A third critical fan wrote: "Don't get me wrong... I like Becky Hill... But I really wish that we'd stop doing this BS concert before a game of football sh*te. Whether it's the mens, womens, kids, walking, playground, whatever. Its not the Superbowl. Stop it [sic]."
Thankfully there were some fans who enjoyed the concert, with one attendee saying her daughter was 'going bonkers with excitement' at Hill's appearance. However, it seems clear many fans were glad to see the event move on to the actual football.
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The England team secured their spot in the final after beating Sweden 4-0.
Emily Brown