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America's top football league will not remove the global music icon as the star attraction for the Super Bowl halftime show, League chief Roger Goodell stated this week.

In doing so, Goodell stood by the choice to place the internationally acclaimed singer on the most-watched platform, a move that drew negative reactions from the former president and some of his supporters.

Goodell addressed the controversy during his media briefing following the annual fall owners meeting. This marks the initial instance he has publicly remarked on the appointment, which has garnered worldwide attention, including a rise in streams of Bad Bunny’s music alongside backlash.

“The decision was thoroughly considered,” Goodell said. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we avoided pushback or criticism. It’s challenging to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of fans that are watching.”

The reggaeton star, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been a vocal opponent of Trump. He lately decided to hold a month-long concert series in Puerto Rico, skipping performances in the mainland US, referencing concerns about the expulsion of Hispanic individuals.

The 31-year-old, who performs primarily in his native language, is anticipated to do so at the big game.

“We’re confident it will deliver a great show,” Goodell commented. “He understands the opportunity that he has, and in my view it will prove exciting and a unifying experience.”

The host team are staging the Super Bowl on 8 February at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area. There is uncertainty if Trump intends to be there, although he has turned physical attendance at major sporting events a key aspect of his current presidency.

Trump in an interview on right-leaning media the outlet said he had “never heard of” Bad Bunny.

“I don’t know his identity,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It seems absurd. And then, they attribute it to some promoter they hired to pick up talent. I think it’s completely unreasonable.”

Goodell supported the choice on Wednesday, clarifying it was determined because of the artist’s massive fanbase.

“He’s one of the top and most popular entertainers globally,” Goodell affirmed. “That’s what we try to achieve. It represents a crucial platform for us. It’s an important component to the entertainment value.”