Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has hit out at Donald Trump as the US President considers banning Brazilians for the World Cup next year.
In less than 12 months time, the US will be the host of 48 football nations all vying for the World Cup trophy alongside co-hosts Mexico and Canada.
Despite claiming the US 'can’t wait to welcome soccer fans from all over the globe', the attendance of supporters of one major nation has now been cast into doubt.
According to American outlet CNN, Trump is considering banning visas for Brazilians, which would not be lifted during the World Cup.
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The report claims Trump is hoping the ban would influence Brazilian public opinion and force the population to turn against Lula's government.
Journalist Lourival Sant'Anna has claimed that the increased visa restrictions for Brazilian citizens have already started being implemented ahead of senators' mission to Washington this week.
Despite not publicly addressing the CNN report, Lula called out Trump's continued economic pressure on Brazil in an interview with New York Times.
“There’s no reason to be afraid," Lula said.
"I am worried, obviously, because we have economic interests, political interests, technological interests.
"But at no point will Brazil negotiate as if it were a small country up against a big country. Brazil will negotiate as a sovereign country."
The President also implied his officials were willing to negotiate the current issues with Trump's administration: “In politics between two states, the will of neither should prevail.
"We always need to find the middle ground. This is achieved not by puffing out your chest and shouting about things you can’t deliver, nor by bowing your head and simply saying ‘amen’ to whatever the United States wants," he added.
Which other countries have been banned from the World Cup?
In June, Trump signed an order that banned travel to the US from several countries, meaning citizens from these nations cannot enter the United States for the foreseeable future.
One of the countries impacted by this is Iran, who became the second team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup back in March.
But, as it stands, the national team will be able to enter the US next summer, but fans and, and potentially, the media, will not.
Topics: Donald Trump, Brazil, Football
Tom Jenkins