The passionate speech delivered by Hollywood star Tom Cruise before the start of the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina drew mixed reactions from fans of the tournament, ranging from surprise at his presence to welcoming his use of the correct term for the sport.

Cruise, 64, spoke from the center of MetLife Stadium about the unity of the world, saying: 'More than 30 days ago, 48 nations embarked on a journey that crossed oceans, surpassed borders, and intertwined cultures, showing us together why this game belongs to the entire world.'

But fans who were only following the event for the football did not appreciate this artistic intrusion, with one criticizing on social media: 'Tom Cruise's speech was ridiculous,' while another wondered: 'Why is Tom Cruise giving a speech before the World Cup final? Enough!' and a third denounced: 'What does this have to do with football?'

However, the 'Mission: Impossible' star hit on one point that earned widespread approval from non-American fans, when he called the sport by its correct name 'football' instead of the common American term 'soccer'.

This linguistic choice sparked a wave of praise on social media platforms, with one follower writing: 'He called the World Cup football and not soccer, wow!' while another commented: 'At least he called it football and not soccer,' and a third said: 'He called it football and not soccer, so everyone should understand that.'

Some followers saw Cruise's use of the global term as ending the long debate over the correct name of the sport, with one commenting: 'It's over, the debate is finally settled.'

The appearance of Hollywood stars at major sporting events is part of American traditions in hosting global events, but the acceptance of these practices by sports fans remains controversial, especially among football enthusiasts who prefer to focus on pure sporting content.