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Robbie Williams clears up viral World Cup rumor.
English singer Robbie Williams was accused of drug use while on a World Cup broadcast during the final between Argentina and Spain. He has responded to those unverified claims on social media.
Williams denied using drugs. A far less controversial ingestant was to blame.
He lightheartedly eased concerns of viewers with a post on Instagram. The entertainer has taken the situation in stride.
Who is Robbie Williams?
The English singer and songwriter found fame in the early 1990s as a member of the pop group Take That. He’s since continued a solo career, releasing 13 studio albums on his own since 1997.
His most recent, Britpop, dropped in 2026. It features Black Sabbath guitarist Tommy Iommi and went to No. 1 on the UK Album Charts.
Themes of the record include fame, identity, public perception and vulnerability. The closing tune is titled, “It’s OK Until the Drugs Stop Working.”
Williams has sold more albums in the UK than any other British solo artist in history, but his rise to fame has not gone without negative headlines. He’s admittedly struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse.
In 2023, he opened up on the issues. He says Elton John forced him into rehab.
Williams is now sober. Fans questioned that sobriety at the World Cup.
On-air gaffe goes viral.
Robbie Williams was named a FIFA music ambassador in 2025. He performed at the 2026 World Cup in the United States.
@telemundodeportes DESIRE SUENA A TODO PULMÓN 🤩🏆 El himno de la FIFA se escucha en la ceremonia de apertura con las voces de Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger y Laura Pausini 🎤🎶 📺 Sigue toda la cobertura de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026 por Telemundo y Peacock #MundialTelemundo #FIFAWorldCup #Somos26 #EspañaVsArgentina
He later appeared on the broadcast to talk about the tournament and his experience. During an interview, a white object fell out of his mouth and onto the microphone.
Many on the internet assumed the worst.
The singer has responded to claims of drug use. He laughed the insinuations off in a video on Instagram.
What came out of Robbie Williams’ mouth?
Video shows that nothing fell from Williams’ nose. Something did, however, fly from his mouth onto the microphone. The Sun spoke to a source close to the singer after the fact. They say it was a half-chewed mint.
“Poor Rob woke up to hundreds of messages from pals and fans asking what on earth was going on. He was obviously a bit bemused before realizing people had seen the Nicorette mint plopping from his mouth and thinking it was something dodgy. Which, clearly, it was not.”
-Anonymous source via The Sun
Williams confirmed that notion with an online post Monday morning.
“I want to apologize for the object that fell onto the microphone yesterday,” he joked. “It was deeply unprofessional, and people worried about me, but it’s okay because I had several more.”
That should all but close the case. Robbie Williams was sober at the World Cup. The internet attempted to create a narrative. The singer quickly shut it down.