Ricky Martin’s Cowboys vs Ravens halftime show in Rio: Funniest memes and reactions

The Cowboys and Ravens brought the NFL to Maracana for a historic Week 3 matchup, with Ricky Martin adding a major musical moment to the night. His appearance quickly gave the Brazil game another talking point.

By Ariadna Pinheiro

Updated on September 27, 2026 06:46PM EDT

**© Buda Mendes/Getty Images**Ricky Martin prepares to perform during halftime at the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys and Ravens’ Week 3 matchup in Rio had plenty of football storylines, but the halftime break brought a different kind of spotlight. Ricky Martin and Brazilian DJ Pedro Sampaio took over Maracana.

With the Puerto Rican artist bringing more than three decades of pop hits and Sampaio adding his Brazilian funk and electronic sound, the performance quickly became one of the most talked-about parts of the night.

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And, as always, social media had its own way of covering the action. From the funniest memes to the most entertaining fan reactions, here are some of the posts that captured the mood surrounding the halftime show in Brazil.

Ricky Martin’s NFL halftime show: Best reactions and memes

I’m seeing some Beyonce influence in this Ricky Martin halftime pic.twitter.com/yFb2PCi8NN
— Echo (@EchoDoesRadio) September 27, 2026

Brazilians watching the NFL and then listening to Ricky Martin sing the halftime show in Spanish: pic.twitter.com/kRhyIYfLZI
— Jet (@_jetgaming) September 27, 2026

It's 2026 and Ricky Martin is on my television screen as a halftime performer…… pic.twitter.com/SIXG2AcHNX
— Aubrey Graham Cracker (@TheAGC007) September 27, 2026

Ricky Martin halftime show:

[SINGING IN A GLOBAL LANGUAGE]😭 pic.twitter.com/3fjsLZhthc
— Amanda 🐮 (@spaceyamanda) September 27, 2026

I had a Ricky Martin CD as a kid.

Not ashamed to say that.
— Chase Swartz (@Chase_Swartz3) September 27, 2026

Why is Ricky Martin (from Puerto Rico), singing in Spanish in Rio during halftime(a Portuguese speaking country)? Odd choice
— Brian Bell (@BrianABell1980) September 27, 2026

Thought Ricky Martin was J Balvin what I miss
— – (@UghhhAsifff) September 27, 2026

Pretty cool Ricky Martin using Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders in his halftime show #BALvsDAL
— 𝔇𝔢𝔟𝔟𝔦𝔢 (@MissDebbieR) September 27, 2026

That Ricky Martin halftime performance. Quite literally one of the worst anythings I’ve ever seen in my life.
— Tito Diaz (@adanvasquez) September 27, 2026

The NFL just fined Ricky Martin for holding his mic up like he was chugging a Latin beer…
— Ray Bridges/Tubaguy (@ColtsTubaGuy) September 27, 2026

I’m sorry who in the @NFL woke up one day and said you know what we need? A Ricky Martin halftime show in Rio where people speak Portuguese. #dallascowboys
— Blues Ninja (@AnthonyXperienc) September 27, 2026

The field in Brazil is already a disaster, so here’s a Ricky Martin halftime show.
— Bob Stew (@TheBobStew) September 27, 2026

Lmao why is Ricky Martin performing the halftime show and singing in Spanish.. IN BRAZIL
— Jamaal (@Jamaal162) September 27, 2026

Key takeaways

Ricky Martin headlined the Cowboys vs. Ravens halftime show alongside Brazilian DJ Pedro Sampaio.
The performance featured over three decades of pop hits combined with Brazilian funk rhythms.
Social media fan reactions and memes quickly highlighted the historic Maracana event.

Ariadna Pinheiro

Ariadna is a multisport journalist specialized in delivering key, high-value information across competitions, including tournament formats, rules, lineups and injury updates, while also producing evergreen content. Her career in journalism began in 2021 at Indie Emergente, a digital music magazine, where she honed her skills in writing and reporting. In 2023, she expanded her expertise by contributing to Spoiler Latinoamerica, creating general culture content, before joining Spoiler US in 2024 to focus on entertainment coverage. With almost six years of experience across different media outlets, Ariadna has developed strong expertise at the intersection of sports and entertainment, covering live events such as Super Bowls, FIFA World Cup opening and closing ceremonies, Olympic Games and UEFA Champions League finals, bringing depth, accuracy and real-time insight to her reporting.