Camila Cabello on football, pre-match nerves and headlining the 2022 UEFA Champions League final Opening Ceremony, presented by Pepsi® – interview

Camila Cabello delivered a breath-taking performance as part of the official UEFA Champions League final Opening Ceremony presented by by Pepsi®.

Her five-minute medley featuring Bam Bam, Señorita and new single Don’t Go Yet was part of a celebration of togetherness featuring a vibrant mix of colour and choreography inspired by the Cuban-American singer-songwriter’s Latin heritage, plus a special homage to the Oaxaca carnival in Mexico. The 25-year-old spoke to UEFA.com before the game, and explained how watching football with her Mexican relatives helped her to perfect her goal celebration.

On the prospect of featuring in the Opening Ceremony, presented by Pepsi®

I'm so excited. A couple of hours ago I was feeling nervous but now I'm feeling really excited. Because I was like: all of Europe is watching, I love being here. I mean something that I love about soccer fans is the amount of joy and intensity and passion, like that energy that you feel. I've always wanted to go to a soccer game. I'm not just saying that because I'm here, it is something I've always wanted to cross off my bucket list.

My dad is Mexican; I'm Latin, so soccer is a big part of our culture and rooting for Mexico whenever they play. So I've always wanted to go to a game and I watch this TV series called Club de Cuervos, which is a Mexican TV series about soccer. We're injecting into our performance that same joy and passion and also that Mexican/Cuban culture too; there are a lot of colours and me bringing where I'm from to this part of the world.

This whole set is designed sonically and the colours of it get people really, really excited. I think Don't Go Yet – the remix that we've done – gets people super excited. Bam Bam is on there. The whole thing is basically built for this kind of setting in terms of the highest energy possible. I definitely think it will give them a lot of energy.

On her feelings about football

Soccer is by far my favourite sport and I have always really wanted to go to a game. It's the only sport I can watch, and I completely know what's going on. And it’s the only sport my family really can enjoy.

I wouldn't call myself a soccer fan compared to [the fans at the Stade de France], but I really do love it. There's been a few times that I have tried to go to games specifically to support [but] with my schedule, it just hasn't been able to happen. This is my first game, so I'm really, really excited. I can do a very good impersonation of how Latins do: "Goooooaaaaal!" I've watched a lot of games with my family, and we can get really, really excited.

On who she is backing for the final

I support them both and I'm rooting for them both. I can't imagine what it’s like to be in their place. You've asked me if I was nervous – imagine them. They've been working so hard; I'm rooting for them both.

A score prediction? I hope it is dramatic, because I don't like [when the teams are] so far apart at the beginning, when it's like 0-3 and now we know what's going to happen, it's really hard for the other one to catch up. It's going to be one of those really tight games, [decided] at the last second, like a penalty [shoot-out].