Richarlison publicly denied a claim attributed to him stating that he would boycott the 2026 World Cup if the conflict in the Middle East, intensified by American and Israeli attacks on Iran, continued. The false statement, which circulated on social media, quoted the Tottenham forward: "I will not play in the World Cup while the conflict does not end." Through a post on his Instagram account, the Brazilian international clarified the situation. "To be clear, because this false news has gone too far: I never made this statement," said the Spurs player. "Although I oppose any form of war and conflict, I never said I would not play for the Brazilian national team in the World Cup. I hope that everyone who shared this lie will retract and delete their posts," he stated. It is worth noting that Brazil is in Group C of the World Cup, along with Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland, with all group stage matches scheduled to take place in the United States. The Brazilian team will face Morocco in New Jersey (June 14), Haiti in Philadelphia (June 20), and Scotland in Miami (June 25). Following the attacks on Tehran, Iran was the only country to question its participation in the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), did not confirm a boycott but admitted that the prospects of the team traveling to the tournament are slim. "It is impossible to say it precisely, but there will certainly be a reaction," Taj stated, adding that "the highest sports officials in the country will certainly analyze the issue and a decision will be made on the next steps." In statements to the Varzesh 3 portal, cited by the Associated Press, the Iranian official was pessimistic: "What is certain is that, after this attack, we cannot look at the World Cup with hope." For his part, a potential boycott by Iran does not seem to concern U.S. President Donald Trump. "I don't care at all," the U.S. leader told Politico. "I think Iran is a country that has been very harshly defeated; it is at the end of its strength."
World Cup Middle East remains central to this story.
World Cup Middle East remains central to this story.
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