Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva joined the wave of anger against Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti following the Brazilian national team's exit from the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, directing sarcastic remarks at him.
During a visit to the Mawá Technological Institute in Sao Paulo, Lula commented on a student project that designed a robot capable of playing football, using the occasion to send a sarcastic message to the Seleção coach.
The Brazilian president said: "I will show this robot to Ancelotti. He looks as fierce as Mbappe or Haaland, and shoots the ball brilliantly. Perhaps he should sign him; he might be able to bring the World Cup back to Brazil."
Lula's statements did not stop there, as he criticized the way the national team delegation returned after exiting the tournament, saying that the official team plane brought back only one player to Brazil, referring to defender Danilo, while the rest of the players and members of the technical staff preferred to travel directly to other destinations to spend their holidays.
He added: "This is shameful. The team went to the World Cup with a large delegation, but only one player returned on the official plane."
The Brazilian president's comments come at a time of increasing pressure on Ancelotti, who took over the national team with the hope of bringing back the World Cup title that has been absent since 2002, but Brazil's journey ended early after losing to Norway in the round of 16.
Lula had previously criticized Ancelotti, including mocking the decision to call up Neymar to the national team squad, given his limited appearances.
Despite the Italian coach being under contract until 2030, the early exit from the World Cup has opened the door to speculation about his future, amid calls from fans and the media for changes at the head of the Brazilian national team's coaching staff.
