Held at the “Azteca” Stadium, ahead of the 2-0 Mexico-South Africa match, the Opening Ceremony sparked controversy over Colombian superstar Shakira. Not a few claim that there was a double on the stage.
The 49-year-old singer was joined by Burna Boy as they released the official song of the 2026 World Cup, Dai Dai. Shakira wore a yellow outfit, white shorts and platform trainers, complete with dark sunglasses, as she entered the court.
The singer’s appearance prompted a lot of comments, with fans speculating on X that Shakira may have had a replacement at the Opening Ceremony. According to News.ro, one user wrote: “Is it Shakira? Doesn’t she look like Shakira? I can’t see well?”, while others referred to the artist as a “double”, which translates as “double”.
The appearance of the artist caused various comments
Another admirer of the artist replied: “That’s not Shakira… who is it?!?!”, and one wrote in Spanish: “Don’t tell me I’m the only one who thought she was Shakira’s double.” Others chimed in with comments such as: “HAHA, why did they bring a Shakira lookalike to the opening of the World Cup?” and “Am I the only one who thinks it’s not @shakira? They have a double there.” Another skeptic pointed out: “I highly doubt it. What if it’s Shakira? Something tells me she’s an impersonator.”
Those theories were debunked after a thorough analysis posted by one user: “After a thorough investigation into the rumors that the person who showed up today is not Shakira, I’ll tell you what the expert fans are saying: they assure her it is indeed her. She mentions a scar on her forehead, looks tall because she wears higher-soled sneakers, and looks thinner. As for her face, they believe the Botox swelling would be an additional factor and that would explain it.” wearing glasses”.
In 2010, Shakira sang “Waka Waka”
Shakira has been a constant presence at the FIFA World Cup finals, performing at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions. The pop superstar performed the iconic official anthem “Waka Waka” (“This Time for Africa”) during the 2010 Opening Ceremony in South Africa.
This year, the official song is “Dai Dai”, which means “Come on” in Italian slang. Speaking about the song, Shakira said the lyrics resonated with her, including phrases like “What once broke you made you stronger.” She explained: “I always thought I was more fragile or weaker than what life made me out to be.”
She has two children with former defender Gerard Pique
In an interview with “People” the Colombian said: “Behind every experience in life, there is always a lesson and we must be grateful for all those lessons, even for the people who leave you with scars because they simply make us better.”
Shakira had a relationship with Gerard Pique, but the two were never married. They have been a couple for 12 years and have two boys together. The singer has often explained that the idea of marriage scared her and she preferred the former Barcelona defender to see her as his “lover” and “partner”. Their relationship began in 2010 and officially ended in June 2022 following a highly publicized split.
