International politics and football have once again intersected in an interesting manner. During a meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva shared humorous remarks regarding the 2026 World Cup.
During the conversation, the Brazilian leader referred to historical memories, recalling the 1966 World Cup. At that time, the Portuguese national team, led by Eusébio, eliminated Pelé's Brazil from the tournament. Lula mentioned this event with humor, expressing his desire for a different scenario in the upcoming championship.
"I hope that in 2026, Portugal will take our friendly relations into account, and Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates will not be able to defeat the Brazilian national team led by Vinícius Júnior," the president said with a laugh.
In turn, Luís Montenegro also approached the conversation with humor, bringing up a potential final: "We could do this in the final."
Following this response, Lula continued the joke, noting that such a scenario could cause "unstoppable rivalry" between the two countries.
In short, football serves not only as a sport but also as a means to create a warm and sincere atmosphere in diplomatic dialogue. The 2024 World Cup is expected to become another stage for such interesting "duels."
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