Sir Paul McCartney caused a stir at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday as he joined a star-studded lineup of celebrities in the stands.
The Beatles icon, 82, was spotted watching the game alongside the likes of actors Adam Sandler and Paul Rudd in a VIP suite at the Caesars Superdome.
The legendary musician was filmed making a toast with his beverage and waving to those around him during the match between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
Nearby, Kevin Costner and Pete Davidson were seen chatting as the game unfolded, creating what one social media user described as "a whole celebrity meetup".
McCartney's casual appearance had fans buzzing online, with one X user writing: "I didn't have Paul McCartney waving like an excited child when featured on the big screen/broadcast on my Super Bowl bingo card."
However, while his appearance was enough to distract some fans from the action on the pitch, his attendance also sparked pleas for him to return to the Super Bowl half-time show stage - especially following Kendrick Lamar's divisive performance.
Paul McCartney (right) speaking to Adam Sandler (second from left) during Sunday's Super Bowl
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"I'd rather watch an 82 yr old Paul McCartney perform the Super Bowl halftime show again then listen to Kendrick Lamar mumble some trash rap song idk," one X user typed on the social media platform.
A second agreed: "Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift are there right now, and we got this halftime show. I'm sure it was a really good performance for those that like this type of music, but for a big global audience this fell well short."
Elsewhere, a third echoed: "I saw Paul McCartney was in the audience. I would have taken him on the 50 with a mic and guitar."
And another hit out at Lamar's show: "Give me The Rolling Stones or Paul McCartney any day. I tried to understand what he was saying but gave up. Got a beer instead." (sic)
Kendrick Lamar divided viewers with his half-time show at the Super Bowl
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The reaction highlighted McCartney's enduring popularity with American football fans, despite his previous Super Bowl appearance being nearly two decades ago.
McCartney previously headlined the Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show in 2005, performing to a crowd of 84,000 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Beatles legend opened his set with Drive My Car, followed by a rendition of Get Back. He then performed the James Bond theme Live and Let Die before closing the show with Hey Jude.
His previous Super Bowl appearance remains a memorable moment in the event's history, with McCartney delivering a classic rock performance that appealed to multiple generations.
Back on the field on Sunday night and the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs with a decisive 40-22 victory at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
The Eagles' defence proved too strong for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was sacked six times and threw two interceptions.
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Paul McCartney performed during the half-time show at 2005's Super Bowl
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Jalen Hurts earned MVP honours, with his 46-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith proving a highlight of the Eagles' commanding performance.
The victory marked Philadelphia's second Super Bowl win and served as revenge for their 38-35 loss to the Chiefs two years ago.
Despite late touchdowns from Xavier Worthy and DeAndre Hopkins, the Chiefs' dream of an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl victory was comprehensively ended.
"Credit to the Eagles, they played better than us from start to finish," Mahomes said after the game. "Obviously the turnovers hurt - I've just got to take all the blame for that."
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