Brazilian star, Neymar took a swipe at Joachim Klement on social media at Brazil’s 2-1 win over Japan in the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup.
Klement is a German economist renowned for his precise predictions, which successfully predicted the last three World Cup champions: Germany in 2014, France in 2018, and Argentina in 2022.
Initially, Klement stated that the purpose of his exercise was to demonstrate to economists that they are unable to accurately predict events about which they possess limited knowledge.
Prior to the commencement of the 2026 World Cup, Klement forecasted an unexpected victory for Japan over Brazil in the second round, while also asserting that the Netherlands would claim the championship in North America.
After the first half, it seemed as though Klement’s prediction might materialize, as the Samurai Blue maintained a 1-0 advantage. However, Brazil equalized through Casemiro before the hour mark. Although extra time appeared imminent, Gabriel Martinelli dashed Japan’s hopes with mere seconds remaining before the final whistle, propelling Brazil into the Round of 16.
Brazil’s triumph over Japan indicated that Klement’s prediction was incorrect. Neymar, who aspires to secure his first trophy with the Seleção, took the opportunity to remind everyone of the economist’s miscalculation.
On his official X account, the Santos forward stated, “Mr. Joachim Klement… please try harder at the next World Cup,” with a winking emoji.
Klement reiterated his prediction of Japan getting the better of Brazil in a recent interview with Fortune India. He stated that while Brazil hold a greater pedigree, their current crop of players are not at their best.