Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has criticized Brazil’s national team following its World Cup elimination, expressing his frustration that only one player returned home on the team’s charter flight.

The images of the team’s return to Brazil caused controversy, with defender Danilo reportedly the only member of the squad to board the plane back to Rio de Janeiro. The situation prompted Lula to question head coach Carlo Ancelotti about what happened.

Lula questions Brazil’s World Cup return

“I sent a message to Ancelotti, the coach of the Brazilian national team. He traveled with a plane full of people and came back practically alone. There was almost nobody on the team’s plane coming home. What a disgrace.

“Only one player returned on the plane. Everyone else stayed there. If we had won the World Cup, everyone would be dancing here.”

Lula made the comments during a public event, using the situation to publicly criticize the team’s response following its elimination from the tournament.

Lula’s unusual advice for Ancelotti

The Brazilian president then added a more playful remark, suggesting that Ancelotti should consider selecting an “aggressive robot” built by a student to help Brazil win the World Cup.

“The guy built an aggressive robot. It looked like Mbappé, it looked like Haaland. The robot throws the ball up. I told Ancelotti: if you want to pick someone, pick that robot, because it will make Brazil win the World Cup.”

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