The Brazilian team advanced with drama to the round of 16 of the World Cup 2026 by beating Japan 2-1 at the NRG Stadium in Houston, in a match full of tension that ended with an unexpected reaction from Neymar on social networks.
The Brazilian forward did not take long to speak out after the match and took advantage of the result to respond ironically to the prediction of German economist Joachim Klement, who had anticipated the elimination of the Canarinha in this instance, precisely against the Japanese team.
“Mr Joachim Klement… Please try in the next Cup”wrote Neymar, in a message on his networks with a mocking tone that quickly went viral.
Klement had attracted attention before the tournament due to his mathematical model, with which he guessed the champions of the last three World Cups: Germany (2014), France (2018) and Argentina (2022).
For the 2026 World Cup, the analyst projected that Brazil would lead Group C, but would surprisingly lose to Japan in the knockout round. The prediction generated a great impact in the Brazilian press and increased the pressure before the confrontation. However, it was not fulfilled.
Mr. Joachim Klement… please try the next drink 😉
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) June 29, 2026
Japan took the lead in the 29th minute thanks to Kaishu Sano, who took advantage of an error in Brazil’s release of the ball. Far from giving up, the team led by Carlo Ancelotti improved in the second half.
Casemiro equalized in the 56th minute with a header after a corner kick, while Gabriel Martinelli scored the winning goal at 90+6′, avoiding extra time and unleashing the Brazilian celebration.
🇧🇷💙💚💛 pic.twitter.com/d2eAsVgAuT
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) June 29, 2026