Brazil Captain Responds to Japan Forward's Comments
Brazil captain Marquinhos has dismissed remarks made by Japan forward Kento Shiogai regarding Neymar and Brazil's strength ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash on Monday. Speaking to Caze TV as quoted by Goal.com, Marquinhos stated that the Brazilian team prefers to let its football do the talking and uses opponents' comments as motivation.
According to Goal.com, Shiogai had claimed that Neymar "wasn't the same anymore" and suggested that Brazil no longer commands the same level of respect as it once did. In response, Marquinhos emphasized that such remarks only serve to motivate the Brazilian squad.
Marquinhos: 'We Leave That Talk to the Opponents'
"It's good that they keep talking to keep motivating our team. We've been in the United States for a month, working with a lot of humility. We leave that talk to the opponents, let them keep talking a lot to motivate us," Marquinhos said, as quoted by Goal.com.
The defender also highlighted that modern football has become increasingly competitive and balanced, requiring intelligence and composure from teams at every stage of the competition. While suggesting that Japan's remarks reflected a degree of arrogance, he maintained that Brazil remains one of the strongest teams in world football.
Brazil's Strength and Group Stage Dominance
"It's a fact that football today is very balanced. It's about having intelligence, wisdom, maybe it was a bit of arrogance on their part. Brazil continues to be a great team. It's about showing our strength, quality... with every ball, knowing that it can be decisive... we leave that (talking) to them and let it serve as motivation to win the game," Marquinhos stated.
Brazil entered the Round of 32 after finishing at the top of Group C, continuing their remarkable record of topping their World Cup group for the 12th consecutive tournament. The five-time world champions have finished first in their group at every FIFA World Cup since 1982, extending a streak that now spans more than four decades.
