Neymar faces his favorite victim

Brazilian star Neymar faces his favorite opponent when his national team takes on Japan in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup. The match holds special significance for the veteran player, who recently returned to the Seleção after an absence of nearly 1,000 days. Neymar returns to the knockout stages fully fit, having played his first minutes of the tournament in a 3-0 victory over Scotland. He finds himself facing an opponent he knows well and against whom he boasts an impressive scoring record. Japan is the team against whom he has conceded the most goals, with nine – his highest tally against any opponent in his international career. Neymar is Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 129 appearances, surpassing the record of the legendary Pelé. He also joins a select group of Brazilian players to have participated in four World Cups, alongside legends like Ronaldo, Cafu, and Pelé. Neymar's first forays against Japan date back to 2012, when he scored two goals and provided an assist in a friendly match that ended in a 4-0 victory for Brazil. He continued his impressive form in the 2013 Confederations Cup with a remarkable goal that led the Seleção to the title. His most memorable moment came in 2014 when he scored four goals in a single 4-0 win, confirming his dominance over the Japanese national team and marking one of his most celebrated international performances. In subsequent years, Neymar continued his scoring streak against Japan in 2017 and 2022, bringing his total to nine goals in just five matches. This makes this encounter a test of his mettle against his favorite opponent. With the Round of 32 approaching, fans eagerly await to see if Neymar will continue his remarkable scoring record against Japan and guide Brazil to the next round of the tournament .