Washington — The perennial question of whether it's "soccer" (as Americans call it) or "football" prompted Twitter wisecracks between President Joe Biden and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte this weekend, as the Netherlands sent the US crashing out of the World Cup.
"It's called soccer," Biden said in a video posted on Twitter wishing the US team luck ahead of their last-16 clash against the Dutch side Saturday at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.
Sorry Joe, football won. 😉#NEDUSA @OnsOranje https://t.co/v27gYK7niv
But the clinical Netherlands soon ended the US' World Cup dream, sweeping into the quarter-finals with a ruthless 3-1 victory — and Rutte was quick to respond to Biden's tweet.
"Sorry Joe, football won," he wrote, adding a wink emoji.
Biden's response came Sunday morning.
Strictly speaking, shouldn’t it be “voetbal”?
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 4, 2022
Kidding aside: congrats to your team and country, Mark. Rematch in New Zealand. https://t.co/pqL3CaRIPS
"Strictly speaking, shouldn't it be 'voetbal'?" he replied, using the Dutch word for football.
"Kidding aside: congrats to your team and country, Mark. Rematch in New Zealand," the US president added.
The 2019 World Cup-winning US women's team could come up against the Netherlands at the tournament in New Zealand next year.
AFP