Rafael van der Vaart, a Dutch football legend, was criticized for making comments resembling racial discrimination against Japanese national team players.
On 16 June 2026, the issue drew significant attention from Japanese football fans when Rafael van der Vaart became the target of heavy criticism for remarks perceived as racially insensitive.
Dutch media outlet Football Zone reported on 15 June that "Van der Vaart thought he understood the issue that occurred in the game against Japan but soon realized his words crossed a dangerous line, so he quickly retracted them."
The Netherlands national team, coached by Ronald Koeman, drew 2-2 with Japan in their first Group F match at the 2026 World Cup.
After the match, Van der Vaart commented on the moment the equalizing goal was conceded:
"Micky van de Ven completely let Ogawa get free from his marking. He turned back to chase the opponent afterward. It’s hard to blame any other player because Ogawa had enough space to head the ball unchallenged."
He then added, "Because the Japanese players look somewhat similar, van de Ven might have thought that way."
Although he quickly explained it was "just a joke," his remarks were broadcast and met with strong criticism for being inappropriate and racially insensitive.
In upcoming fixtures, the Netherlands will face Sweden on 21 June at 00:00, while Japan will play Tunisia the same day at 11:00.