Shakira caused a shock at an international soccer tournament in Azerbaijan Saturday as she mistakenly held up a Colombian flag upside down giving the impression it was the flag from Armenia, a country which has had a long-standing feud with the host nation.
The Colombian singer took to the stage before the FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup Final between France and Korea in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the first time since the announcement of her pregnancy.
She was dressed all in black and displaying what she thought was her native Colombian flag. However the flag, turned backwards, represents Armenia due to it having the same colors – red, yellow and blue – as Colombia.
The mistake may have gone un-reported or even un-noticed had it not represented a country which has maintained a religious and ethnic conflict with Azerbaijan for just under a decade.
It is not the first time the pop star has dropped a clanger in public. Earlier in the year she sang the incorrect lyrics to the Colombian national anthem at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena.
The blunder sent shock-waves throughout social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, with many Colombians criticizing the artist for not spending enough time in her homeland.
Time will only tell if this latest faux pas will bring an equivalent response in Armenia and Azerbaijan.