"Soccer vs Football" US-Netherlands Leaders' Showdown... Biden Says "Let's Compete Again Soon"

Biden Uses 'Soccer' on SNS Ahead of Round of 16
Dutch Prime Minister Says Sorry for Beating 'Football'
Biden Declares Revenge at Upcoming Women's World Cup

The Netherlands national football team players are celebrating their victory after the Round of 16 match against the United States at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on the 3rd (local time) during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. Photo by AP·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] In the Round of 16 match between the United States and the Netherlands at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the Netherlands defeated the United States 3-1. Amid this, U.S. President Joe Biden and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte engaged in a playful war of words on Twitter over the term "soccer."

On the 3rd (local time), ahead of the Round of 16 match between the U.S. and the Netherlands, President Biden posted on Twitter, "Let's go USMNT," along with a video in which he held a soccer ball and said, "It's called soccer. You can do it. Go USA."

In response, right after the Netherlands defeated the U.S. 3-1 in the Round of 16, Prime Minister Rutte attached Biden's tweet to his own Twitter post and wrote, "Sorry Joe, we won in football," followed by a winking emoji.

This was Rutte's comeback to Biden's insistence on calling it "soccer" by asserting "football."

In the United States, the sport is called soccer, while the term football usually refers to American football. The most popular sport in the U.S., the professional American football league, is called the NFL (National Football League), which includes the term football.

In England, the birthplace of soccer, the Football Association's logo uses the term football. In contrast, the U.S. Soccer Federation's logo uses the term soccer. The two terms have long been used differently. Although FIFA, the international football federation, officially uses football as the main term, countries like Canada and Australia also use soccer.

AFP reported, "The eternal debate over whether it is called soccer or football in the U.S. sparked witty banter between Biden and Rutte on Twitter."

On the 4th, President Biden reposted Prime Minister Rutte's tweet on his own Twitter and wrote, "Strictly speaking, shouldn't it be 'voetbal'?" Voetbal is the Dutch word for soccer.

He then added, "Jokes aside, congratulations to your team and country," and said, "Let's have a rematch in New Zealand." Although the U.S. lost to the Netherlands this time, Biden expressed his determination to seek revenge when they face off again in New Zealand during the FIFA Women's World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand next July.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.