Brazilian fans unleash fury on ex‑NEC striker after World Cup win

Kento Shiogai, former NEC striker now at VfL Wolfsburg, saw his Instagram page inundated with Brazilian fans' messages after Brazil's 2‑1 victory over Japan in the World Cup round of 16. The post has attracted close to one million comments, turning his social feed into a battleground for national pride. Shiogai said, “I don’t hear much about Brazil nowadays. It used to be a great power, but now France and Argentina are stronger.” The comment was made in the run‑up to the match and was interpreted as adding fuel to the fire. Brazilian supporters flooded his Instagram with criticism, and the comment count approached one million, reflecting the scale of the backlash.

Japan’s knockout curse continues as Brazil snatch victory in stoppage time

Brazil’s national coach Carlo Ancelotti’s staff heard the statements; forward Matheus Cunha raised five fingers and said, “We have five,” referring to Brazil’s five world titles, before adding that Japan’s progress was notable but Brazil’s five stars must not be forgotten. Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha later told Shiogai, “We have spoken and now everything is fine again,” showing a personal reconciliation despite the public outcry. Shiogai left NEC in January for VfL Wolfsburg and did not come off the bench during the duel with the “Divine Canaries,” the nickname used for Japan. The contrast between the massive online condemnation and the private dialogue underscores how quickly statements can ignite national sentiment, while personal connections may smooth tensions ahead of future engagements.