Striker Memphis Depay has a unique opportunity to break a long taboo for Corinthians in the World Cup, seeking to be the first player linked to the club to find the net in a World Cup in almost two decades.
The Netherlands team, which has the Corinthians player in its squad, is ready to face Japan. The opening match of Group F of the 2026 World Cup will take place this Sunday, starting at 5pm (Brasília time), in the city of Dallas, in the United States.
An athlete who played for Corinthians has not scored in a World Cup since 2006, highlighting how rare this feat is for the club’s players on the global stage. In that edition, Carlitos Tevez was responsible for this goal, his only goal of the tournament, in Argentina’s crushing 6-0 victory over Serbia during the second round of the group stage.
For this edition of the World Cup, Memphis is the only Corinthians representative called up for the 2026 World Cup. This condition places him as the main hope to end the black and white team’s extensive goal drought in the prestigious competition.
Considering a panorama restricted only to athletes who played for the Brazilian team, the last Corinthians player to record a goal in a World Cup was the idol Sócrates, in 1982.
The iconic midfielder, revered by Corinthians fans, found the net twice in that World Cup. He scored a goal in Brazil’s 2-1 victory against the Soviet Union, in the team’s debut, and another in the bitter 3-2 defeat to Italy, in the third round of the decisive phase.
Historically, twenty-six players have been to World Cups while wearing the Corinthians shirt, which further highlights the rarity of a goal scored by an athlete with ties to the club.
In the Netherlands’ recent preparatory matches, before the opening match against Japan, Memphis Depay appeared as an option on the bench in both friendlies.
Corinthians’ number 10 shirt is worn by Memphis, who has accumulated one goal and one assist in fourteen matches played this season. His performance was impacted by a muscle injury to his right thigh, which sidelined him for around two months.
