Van der Vaart is controversial.

Former football star Rafael van der Vaart's offensive remarks after the 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan at the 2026 World Cup have drawn intense criticism.

Van der Vaart is receiving a lot of criticism for his thoughtless remarks.

Following the Group F match, Van der Vaart analyzed the situation where the Netherlands conceded a goal from a corner kick. The 42-year-old former midfielder argued that defender Micky van de Ven's defending was poor, as he failed to adequately mark the Japanese player who scored with a header.

However, it was Van der Vaart's next comment that sparked controversy. "Anyway, they (the Japanese) all look alike...", the former Dutch international said before quickly adding: "It was just a joke. Lately, I'm afraid to say anything."

This statement quickly spread across social media platforms. Many people believe that Van der Vaart made a prejudiced comment about the appearance of Asian people.

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"Is this guy's sense of humor messed up?", one Twitter user commented. Meanwhile, another sarcastically remarked on Reddit: "No wonder Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicked him back then." Many fans bluntly called Van der Vaart "a clown" and argued that his subsequent explanation did nothing to lessen the offensiveness of his statement.

The incident attracted even more attention because Japan had just delivered an impressive performance against the Netherlands. The Asian representatives were twice trailing but still managed to salvage a point, thus continuing to demonstrate the adaptability and resilience that have become their trademark under coach Hajime Moriyasu.

While much of the discussion should have revolved around Japan's performance on the field, Van der Vaart's statement became the focus in a way nobody intended.

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Source: https://znews.vn/van-der-vaart-gay-tranh-cai-post1660031.html