Published on •Updated
On Thursday 11 June, the 2026 World Cup kicked off in Mexico City with a lavish opening ceremony. The stage played host to stars such as J Balvin, Maná, Lila Downs and, of course, Shakira, who by now has appeared at more World Cups than her ex, Gerard Piqué.
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But it was neither the fireworks nor the music that attracted the most attention online.
Within a few hours of the performance, theories began circulating on social media claiming that the person who performed the tournament’s official anthem, ‘Dai Dai’, was not really the Colombian singer. One user even wrote: “That’s not Shakira. Look how she gets the step wrong when she sings ‘Dai Dai’. That’s a double. Shakira lied to everyone.”
The evidence? According to those defending the theory, the star looked different.
Shakira stepped onto the pitch in a striking yellow outfit, white shorts, platform trainers and huge dark sunglasses. On top of that, many users pointed out that her hair seemed to be a different shade from usual.
With part of her face hidden behind the sunglasses and looking slightly different from how her fans are used to seeing her, speculation spread rapidly on X, TikTok and other platforms. Within hours, the internet was already debating whether it was really Shakira… or a stand-in.
The evidence
For now, the singer’s team has not responded to the rumours. However, there is one detail that strongly suggests that the person on the pitch was, in fact, the real Shakira.
The singer has a small scar on her forehead that is clearly visible in numerous photographs taken over the years. It can be seen, for example, in images distributed by Associated Press from an event held in New York in May 2026.
And yes: the same mark is also visible in images from the World Cup opening ceremony.
Of course, it is always possible that the supposed double had spent months studying Shakira’s every move, learning her choreographies, copying her hairstyle and reproducing even the tiniest facial scar in order to deceive millions of viewers and dozens of high-definition cameras.
Or, alternatively, that it was Shakira.
We are inclined to go with the second option. After all, those hips don’t lie.
