Asked if he would wish England good luck in its game against Ukraine, Obama, ever the diplomat, said:

"I have had enough trouble back home picking my brackets for the college basketball tournament that's taking place there, called March Madness, stirred up all kinds of controversy, the last thing I'm going to do is wade into European football. I didn't get a briefing on that, but I sense that would be a mistake."

England won the game, 2-1.