Will Smith lights up World Cup closing ceremony

World
Europe

Hollywood actor and singer Will Smith performed the soccer World Cup’s official song “Live It Up” during the tournament’s closing ceremony in Moscow on Sunday.

As Smith performed at the Luzhniki stadium, giant screens laid out on the pitch showed images of soccer players and the colors of the flags of Croatia and French flags – the two teams who faced each other in the final.

R-L: Nicky Jam, Era Istrefi and Will Smith performing at the closing ceremony prior to the FIFA World Cup final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018, in Moscow. /VCG Photo

Smith was joined on stage by Nicky Jam, a US-born singer with Puerto Rican roots, and by Era Istrefi, a pop singer who describes herself as Albanian Kosovar. Both artists had featured with Smith on the “Live It Up” single.

In the final sequence of the ceremony, Russian opera singer Aida Garifullina performed the Russian folk song “Kalinka” accompanied by bagpipes, a children’s choir, and a percussion section.

A general view as singers Era Istrefi and Will Smith perform during the closing ‍ceremony at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15, 2018. /VCG Photo

That section featured a guest performer: Brazilian soccer star and past World Cup winner Ronaldinho, who for a few bars of the song hammered out the rhythm on an African drum.

The performances were a prelude to France and Croatia’s players taking to the pitch to begin their final match, in front of a packed crowd at the 80,000-seat stadium.

(Cover photo: Artist Will Smith performs during the closing ceremony prior to the FIFA World Cup final between France and Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, 2018, in Moscow. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): Reuters