Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull, Claudia Leitte open the World Cup

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Jennifer Lopez starred in the opening ceremony of the 2014 FIFA World Cup at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Thursday. (Pedro Ugarte / AFP / Getty Images)

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Singers Claudia Leitte, Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull walk with performers during the World Cup’s Opening Ceremony on Thursday. (Buda Mendes / Getty Images)

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The center stage at Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao Stadium resembled a sliced melon. (Shuji Kajiyama / Associated Press)

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The opening ceremony reportedly cost 18 million Brazilian reais, or about $8 million. (Kevin Cox / Getty Images)

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Jennifer Lopez and the others sang the World Cup anthem “We Are One” as Brazilian band Olodum banged drums. (Adam Pretty / Getty Images)

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Many fans wore the yellow and green of the Brazilian soccer team. (Buda Mendes / Getty Images)

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Past World Cup bloopers and highlights were reportedly shown on the stadium’s video screens near the end of the show. (Vanderlei Almeida / AFP / Getty Images)

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The performers embrace at the end of the show. Only days earlier, it had been rumored that Jennifer Lopez wouldn’t be there. (Frank Augstein / Associated Press)

By Christie D’Zurilla

June 12, 2014 6:55 PM PT

Jennifer Lopez did show up for the opening ceremonies of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, taking the stage with Pit Bull and Brazilian pop singer Claudia Leitte in Sao Paulo, the host nation’s largest city.

The three performed the tournament’s anthem, “We Are One (Ole Ola),” in an $8-million production. Pit Bull recorded the tune, featuring Lopez and Leitte, and all of them appear in the official music video.

In the days before the show, Lopez’s attendance had been in doubt as conflicting releases came out from the Cup’s governing body and then from the pop star’s rep. Initially, “production issues” were cited Sunday by FIFA in a statement saying J. Lo wouldn’t be there. But on Tuesday, the 44-year-old’s rep told People, “We have been trying to work out scheduling and logistics. Any statements to the contrary were premature.”

Thousands of fans, many wearing the home team’s colors of yellow with green accents, witnessed the spectacle -- and mixed in a bit of booing for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA, according to the Associated Press. (The lead-up to the Cup hasn’t been entirely rosy, with spending, traffic, transit strikes and construction delays among the issues.)

Of course, Lopez’s name was in the headlines last week too, when her 6-week-old breakup with boyfriend Casper Smart, 27, was made public. They had been dating since 2011, when he was one of her backup dancers.

Meanwhile, back in Sao Paolo, Brazil would go on to beat Croatia, 3-1, in the match held after the show.

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs.