Japan forward receives racist abuse after criticizing Neymar

Japan national team forward Kento Shiogai has become the target of racist and xenophobic attacks on social media. The abuse began following the circulation of an interview where he questioned the current form of Neymar and the Brazil national team ahead of their 2026 World Cup encounter.

In the interview, Shiogai stated that Neymar is "no longer the Neymar of the past" and that the Japanese team no longer views the Brazilian number 10 as their primary threat. Furthermore, he questioned Brazil's current standing, noting that he considers France and Argentina to be stronger and that he has heard little about the Brazilian team's recent performances.

The comments went viral among Brazilian fans, leading to a wave of insults directed at the player, including attacks on Japanese culture and language. As a result of the intense backlash, Shiogai decided to temporarily deactivate his Instagram profile.

Despite his provocative statements, the striker acknowledged the significance of the upcoming match. He emphasized that a victory over Brazil in the World Cup would be a major milestone for Japanese football and would provide the team with significant momentum.