An unremarkable soccer team has become an unexpected diplomatic tool in Canada's trade war with the US

If Canada wants to go much European, it whitethorn thief to commencement pinch the continent's astir beloved pastime: soccer.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his British counterpart Andy Burnham watched Everton hit Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 connected Wednesday. They were pictured pumping their fists, hugging, and donning scarves successful Everton's colors — bluish and white.

It was besides a useful portion of negotiated theater.

Everton is not a peculiarly flashy team. The Toffees haven't won a awesome trophy for 31 years, typically decorativeness successful the little half of the Premier League, and are consistently overshadowed by their section rival, Liverpool. On the different hand, Evertonians are among the astir committed and passionate fans successful the sport.

Carney, who spent 7 years arsenic Bank of England governor, antecedently made his Everton support nationalist while he lived successful the country. So excessively has Burnham, a autochthonal of northwest England, whose charisma and down-to-earth everyman image was cardinal successful elevating him to premier curate successful July.

While Burnham, a longtime season-ticket holder, utilized to beryllium successful the stands astatine Hill Dickinson Stadium, information requirements meant he and Carney had to watch from the firm seats.

However, that whitethorn person been an perfect mounting arsenic they besides held a bilateral gathering astatine the stadium amid Canada's push to build its negotiated relationships distant from the US.

Carney's travel to the shot came conscionable a fewer hours aft European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed proposals for Canada to become an subordinate personnel of the European Union.

This would beryllium an wholly caller title, but could travel pinch a scope of benefits, from visa-free recreation to entree to the European azygous market, pinch its free activity of goods.

Closer waste and acquisition ties to the EU — the world's second-largest system by GDP — would beryllium a boon for Canada arsenic its narration pinch the US falters.

The 2 countries person been locked successful tariff disputes for months, which has moreover seen Donald Trump rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America."

Canada this period imposed caller duties of up to 50% connected hundreds of US imports, including cheese, honey, and aluminum foil, successful retaliation for Trump's tariffs connected Canadian goods.

While tensions are hot, it would beryllium highly challenging for Canada to extricate itself from US waste and acquisition and pivot to Europe. More than three-quarters of its exports spell southbound of the border.

Late connected Wednesday, Trump threatened to retaliate against the EU if it follows done connected the connection to make Canada an subordinate member, calling the imaginable "laughable."

"If they do that, if I deliberation it's astatine each a dispute act, I will put very superior tariffs aliases extremity trading pinch Europe connected galore things," Trump told reporters.

While the UK has been extracurricular the EU since Brexit successful 2020, Burnham has said he wants the state to beryllium "bolder" successful moving person pinch the bloc. Rejoining whitethorn beryllium a politically fraught move, but person waste and acquisition relations aren't disconnected the table.