The Seattle Seahawks won their second Super Bowl by stifling the New England Patriots' offense 29-13 on Sunday in Santa Clara, California, where Bad Bunny produced a rousing halftime show with a message of unity for the American continent.

In a tense atmosphere, the Puerto Rican artist, a vocal critic of Donald Trump's harsh anti-immigration policies, did not use the unique platform of the NFL championship game to deliver a direct political message. Trump took care of that himself, promptly denouncing his performance as "an affront to the greatness of America."

The game, which remained tight for a long time without any touchdowns at halftime (9-0 for Seattle), picked up speed in its second half to end with a demonstration by the Seahawks, who won their second title after 2014.

The Washington State franchise had not played in a Super Bowl since a loss in the final against the Patriots of the "GOAT" (greatest of all time) Tom Brady in 2015.

The Patriots, after several lackluster seasons, were aiming for a record 7th title after the six won between 2002 and 2019 with the legendary quarterback.

His heir Drake Maye, second best player of the NFL season, finally showed his age (23 years old) during this high-tension game, where the opposing defense successfully harassed him (6 sacks).

Trump attacks Bad Bunny

The traditional halftime show was, as often, at least as eagerly anticipated as the game itself, taking on a political dimension this year with the choice of Bad Bunny, who hosted a wild show celebrating Puerto Rican culture and some of its greatest hits.

A global star with his reggaeton tinged with Latin trap, the choice of the Puerto Rican has angered Donald Trump who did not attend the match, unlike last year in New Orleans.

A week after calling for the US federal immigration police to be "ICE out" during his triumph at the Grammy Awards ceremony, Bad Bunny did not deliver a direct political message.

The artist, however, concluded his show by subverting the usual "God Bless America" in the United States, turning it into a slogan in praise of the entire continent, ending by bringing an American football to the screen bearing the message "Together, we are America".

"The only thing more powerful than hate is love," was written on the stadium's giant screens during this show, which was mainly in Spanish, except for a Lady Gaga song.

Trump quickly responded with a venomous message on his Truth social network denouncing the show as "awful." "Nobody understands a word this guy is saying and the dancing is disgusting," he raged, seeing it as "a slap in the face of our country," where more than 41 million people speak Spanish according to official figures.

A lively 4th quarter

The annual sports entertainment and marketing extravaganza drew 75,000 spectators to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, southeast of San Francisco, which will also host six matches of the FIFA World Cup this summer. Fans could indulge in a $180 roast beef shank burger or catch glimpses of a plethora of celebrities: Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, and Jessica Alba made brief appearances on stage, while Roger Federer, Jay-Z, and Justin Bieber were among those in the stands.

After building a 12-point lead with their kicking, the Seahawks both scored and allowed two touchdowns in the 4th quarter, making several crucial interceptions thanks to their defense.

The Washington State team was able to rely on its own ball handler Sam Darnold (28 years old, one touchdown, more than 200 passing yards), an anonymous player who had passed unsuccessfully through four franchises before finding the light in the northwest of the country this season.

"It's incredible. To succeed with this team after everything that's happened in my career...", he reacted.

The Seahawks played with ease for a long time, using the power of their running back Kenneth Walker, who was named man of the game with 135 yards gained with the ball in hand, and the kicking of Jason Myers (5 goals, a record).

"We faced a lot of adversity this year, but we managed to stay united and be rewarded," Walker concluded.