Palmer, Joao Pedro Feature in Madonna Album Promo Film
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro appear in "Confessions II - The Film," a 14-minute promotional video for Madonna's new album that was unveiled at the Tribeca Festival in New York on Friday and uploaded to her YouTube channel on Monday.
- The two forwards are approached by Madonna while at a urinal roughly six minutes into the video; award-winning British actor Benedict Cumberbatch also features later in the film.
- Palmer was left out of England's 26-man squad for the World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico after a season affected by injuries.
- Joao Pedro was overlooked by Brazil's World Cup squad despite scoring 20 goals in all competitions during his first season at Chelsea.
- Madonna is a regular watcher of Chelsea's men's and women's teams and attended the men's 2-1 Premier League win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in October; last month she helped launch Chelsea's 2026-27 home kit via a Twitch stream with British influencer Gymskin.
- Madonna's album "Confessions On A Dance Floor: Part II" is scheduled for release on 3 July.
Why it matters: Both Palmer and Joao Pedro were omitted from their national teams' World Cup squads this month, making their Madonna video cameo a notable off-pitch moment for two forwards whose seasons ended in disappointment. The appearance also deepens Madonna's visible association with Chelsea, linking a seven-time Grammy winner to the club's marketing and matchday presence.
