New Orleans: Pop superstar Taylor Swift found herself at the centre of controversy on Sunday night when she was booed by a pro-Eagles crowd at the Super Bowl. Attending the event for the second consecutive year, Swift watched as her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, and his team attempted to make history by securing a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy.

However, it was not to be. The Chiefs suffered a crushing 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles at the Superdome. Adding insult to injury, Swift endured a cold reception from the crowd when she was shown on the stadium's videoboards alongside rapper Ice Spice during a break in the first quarter. The audience erupted in boos, prompting Swift to respond with a subtle side-eye and a slight wrinkle of her nose upon realising the reaction was directed at her.

A shift in public sentiment

Much has changed over the past year for Swift and Kelce. Last year, the couple celebrated on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, sharing a kiss as red and gold confetti rained down after the Chiefs' second consecutive Super Bowl victory. The duo had quickly become a power couple, merging the worlds of sports and music.

However, Swift has faced growing criticism from some sports fans, who believe she receives excessive television coverage during NFL games. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have emerged as the latest team to be cast as the league's dominant force, drawing comparisons to the era of Tom Brady’s New England Patriots—a team that fans either adored or despised.

Trump takes aim at Swift

Among those who relished Swift's misfortune was former US President Donald Trump, who took to social media to mock the singer following the Super Bowl incident. Trump, who made history as the first sitting US President to attend the Super Bowl, left the game shortly after half-time but could not resist a jab at Swift.

"The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!"

Earlier, Trump had also shared a post from another account that highlighted the stark difference between his reception and Swift’s. The post read: "Trump gets massive cheers at the Super Bowl while Taylor Swift gets booed - the world is healing!"

When Trump was shown on the stadium’s giant screens, he received a loud and enthusiastic response from the crowd, saluting while singing the US national anthem.

A long-standing feud

Swift has been an outspoken critic of Trump and publicly backed his presidential rival Kamala Harris in the last election cycle. Her endorsement prompted a reaction from Trump at the time, who wrote on Truth Social: "I hate Taylor Swift."

(agency inputs)