In the midst of the celebration for Brazil's qualification to the round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup, Neymar Jr. held nothing back and responded to the mathematician who had predicted their early elimination at the hands of Japan. The Canarinha achieved a dramatic comeback, winning 2-1 in Houston and advanced, despite the fact that the number 10 did not play any minutes on the field.
The Santos star took advantage of the victory to dedicate some pointed words to Joachim Klement, the specialist who created a mathematical model that accurately predicted the last three world champions. “Mr. Joachim Klement... please try again next Cup,” Neymar posted, making his irony clear after the failed upset.
Klement had gone viral in Brazil days earlier for his prediction: Japan would surprise and eliminate the national team in the round of 32. His system analyzed contexts, streaks, and probabilities, and had hit the mark with Germany in 2014, France in 2018, and Argentina in 2022.
The model that failed in Texas
For this edition in the United States, the mathematician placed the Netherlands as the future champion, with a final against Portugal. Along the way, he saw Japan as the big surprise by defeating Brazil. He argued the good form of the blue samurais: victory over Germany in the last World Cup, a 3-2 win in a recent friendly against the Canarinha, and successes against England and Scotland.
Despite not entering the match, Neymar celebrated with his teammates the heroic qualification. The team led by Carlo Ancelotti struggled but managed to pull through the match in a stadium that vibrated with the clash between South Americans and Asians.
