A tiny slip-up has somehow turned America against Tom Cruise, and the controversy is only picking up speed online. Ahead of the FIFA 2026 final, the Top Gun star delivered an impassioned speech, but then committed what some fans are treating as an act of linguistic treason. Instead of calling the sport ‘soccer,’ as a good ol' American, Tom referred to it as ‘football’ a name used by, well, almost the entire planet. Netizens soon flooded social media with comments of hate and disappointment.
As the world prepared for the FIFA World Cup 2026 finals at the New York New Jersey Stadium, the beloved action hero of Hollywood, Tom Cruise came to the field to give a speech. As he continued the anticipation and excitement for the game uplifted.
He started the speech saying, “More than 30 days ago, 48 nations began a journey. They crossed oceans, they crossed borders, they crossed cultures. And together they showed why this game belongs to the world. From three countries across them, and every corner of the globe, we have witnessed greatness and we have shared moments of joy. Moments of hope. Moments we will all never forget.”
But soon enough he committed a grave error in the eyes of the domestic fans calling the sport ‘football’ instead of ‘soccer’. He continued, “Football is a language spoken without words. A force that unites people. That turns strangers into friends and reminds us what we all have in common. Today only two teams remain. España and Argentina. But these stories belong to each and every one of us.”
The outrage took shape online and people commented with rage and dissatisfaction. One user wrote, “Bro just called it Football”. Another added, “What a ridiculous speech.” Another comment read, “Why is Cruise giving a speech at the World Cup final? Please stop it”.
Now, people from other countries didn’t quite like the outrage of the Americans and encouraged Tom’s act. One wrote, “Brought the world together. You banned Iran from entering your country until game day. And banned a referee from turning up.” Another added quoting Tom's words, “This is football. This is unity. This is greatness. This is FIFA”.
This linguistic tug-of-war over ‘football’ and ‘soccer’ has long divided the US from the rest of the world, and thus remains a sensitive topic when it comes to a global match like FIFA. So when people comment something like "Tom Cruise calling it football while standing in East Rutherford, New Jersey is a absolute betrayal," seems like an outburst waiting to take place!
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