- Martinelli’s late goal secured Brazil’s dramatic 2-1 victory.
- Neymar then mocked an economist predicting Brazil’s early exit.
- Coach Ancelotti preserved Neymar for potential extra time play.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Neymar targeted a prominent German economist on social media after Brazil secured a dramatic comeback victory against Japan during their FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout fixture. The forward, who did not feature on the pitch, mocked a pre-match statistical model that had confidently forecast an early tournament departure for the South American giants in the Round of 32.
Social Media Mockery Follows Knockout Drama
The veteran attacker took to the social platform X shortly after the final whistle blew. He directly addressed the researcher who had doubted the progression of the national squad.
Neymar wrote on X, “Sr. Joachim klement … favor tentar na proxima copa,” which translates to English as, “Mr Joachim Klement… please try again at the next World Cup.”
WATCH POST
Sr. Joachim klement … favor tentar na próxima copa 😉
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) June 29, 2026
The target of the joke was Joachim Klement, a financier reputed for successfully forecasting the tournament winners for the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions using complex data sets.
Tactical Restraint Kept Star on Bench
National team head coach Carlo Ancelotti explained his decision to keep the superstar on the substitutes’ bench throughout the tense encounter. The manager was thinking ahead to additional time.
“I talked to Ney, if we don’t draw, he’d come on at 60 minutes,” Ancelotti told host broadcasters during his post-match interview while explaining his substitution strategy.
“Since we drew, I was preserving him for the 30 minutes of extra time,” the Italian tactician added to host broadcasters when discussing his careful management of the forward.
Late Drama Secures Progression for Brazil
The match itself provided immense drama for the spectators. Arsenal attacker Gabriel Martinelli scored a decisive winning goal in the ninety-fifth minute of play to seal the comeback victory.
The late strike ensured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a disciplined Japanese side. The result sparked wild celebrations across the stadium and booked a place in the next round.
The five-time world champions now advance to the Round of 16 phase. They will face either the Ivory Coast or Norway on 5 July at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
