Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha has said that he mocked Japan’s Kento Shiogai with a “five-star” remark following the latter’s statements regarding his national team.
The Selecao have won the World Cup on five occasions — in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.
They have produced a remarkable array of legendary footballers, including icons such as Pele, Neymar, Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho, and Romario, among many others.
Despite their illustrious history, the South American powerhouses have struggled to perform at recent tournaments.
They failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals in four of the last five competitions (2006, 2010, 2018, and 2022). The only time they reached the semi-finals, in 2014, they suffered the humiliation of a 7-1 defeat to Germany.
Prior to the Round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan, Shiogai asserted that the South American giants are no longer the formidable team they once were.
The 21-year-old, who made a single appearance off the bench for the Samurai Blue during the group stage, stated (via Sportskeeda, h/t @poptime on X): “Brazil used to be a powerhouse, but what about now? I haven’t heard much about them these days… I think only France and Argentina are strong.”
Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team subsequently triumphed over Japan 2-1, with Cunha starting and playing for 66 minutes. During the match, he was seen displaying five fingers and making a “calm down” gesture.
After the match, the Manchester United player commented (via @FabrizioRomano on X): “I have nothing against Japan; they are a great team, but he made some remarks about Brazil that we cannot accept. It is about respect for us and our jersey.”
With stars like Cunha, Vinicius Jr, Bruno Guimaraes, and Marquinhos leading the way, Brazil aim to secure a sixth star on their jersey at the 2026 World Cup.