Football

Brazilian president calls for national team to eschew overseas players

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has expressed his opinion that the national football team should focus on calling up players from the domestic league.

Yesterday the five-time World Cup champions defeated Chile 2-1 in a World Cup 2026 qualifier, with goals by Botafogo players Igor Jesus and Luis Henrique André.

“Those playing abroad are no better than those playing here. I've long argued that Brazil's national team should consist of players from our own country. The two players who scored against Chile compete in the Brazilian league.

We must give local players a chance rather than bringing in those from overseas. I watched the game from my couch, recognizing the goalkeeper [Ederson], the central defender from Paris Saint-Germain [Marquinhos], and Rodrygo and Raphinha, whom I identified by their hairstyles. I didn't know the other players, and that shouldn't be the case. Call up players who compete in the Brazilian league. There are many young players abroad, but none of them are stars," Lula da Silva said, as reported by SAPO Desporto.

Lula da Silva also shared that he discussed the idea of forming a national team solely from domestic championship players during a meeting with the president of Brazil’s football confederation, Ednaldo Rodrigues. He noted that in foreign leagues, "there are no Garrinchas or Romários."

Brazil currently sits fourth in the World Cup 2026 qualifying standings, having accumulated 13 points over nine rounds. Dorival Júnior's team trails leader Argentina by six points.