Brazil’s presidential gift to Obama is bittersweet reminder of US team’s loss in soccer match

L’AQUILA, Italy — President Barack Obama seemed pleased with the gift he received Thursday from Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but it was bittersweet nonetheless.

Silva gave Obama, a big sports fan, an autographed yellow Brazilian soccer jersey at the start of their morning meeting at the G-8 summit in Italy.

In their banter, which reporters partly heard through a translator, Silva spoke animatedly of the June 28 soccer match between the U.S. and Brazilian national teams in the Confederations Cup series. The game was a crushing loss for the underdog Americans, who led at the midway point, 2-0, only to lose 3-2.

Silva repeatedly said, “Yes we can,” which was Obama’s campaign catchphrase and apparently the thoughts the Brazilian president had when his team was behind. Obama smiled gamely, and if he felt Silva was rubbing it in a bit, he didn’t let on.

“Hey, look at this,” Obama said. “Beautiful. Alright, wonderful. I like that.”

The jersey carried the signatures of the Brazilian team’s players.