Memphis Depay, Corinthians striker, avoids commenting on potential clash with Brazil in the World Cup
Striker Memphis Depay, who plays for Corinthians, made his World Cup debut last Sunday, participating in the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw against Japan. He entered the field in the 25th minute of the second half, replacing Donyell Malen, and had a discreet performance, receiving a yellow card.
Right after the game, Memphis Depay showed no interest in approaching the knockout stage of the competition or the possibility of a direct confrontation with Brazil. The striker reiterated that the priority is the group stage, expressing his disappointment with the draw against the Japanese team. “We’re not thinking about that right now,” he told TNT Sports. “Unfortunately, we tied the game. I think we played well. We should have come away with the victory and now we are preparing for the next game. We don’t focus so much on what we will face if we go through. First we need to make sure we go through,” he added.
The Netherlands is among the Brazilian team’s potential opponents in the second phase of the tournament. Currently, Brazil is part of Group C of the competition, while the European team competes in Group F. In the round of 16 crossover scheme, the first place in Group C will face the second place in Group F, and vice versa, establishing the possibilities of an early meeting.
Leia Também
Financial analysis indicates that GTA 6 generated US$1 billion in the first hour of pre-sales
George Russell secures second Formula 1 triumph and leads Austrian GP after controlling Verstappen and Antonelli
Air crash in France kills 11 people on parachuting school aircraft
Thus, a duel between Brazil and the Netherlands could take place in the round of 16, if one of the teams leads its group and the other advances in second place. This direct confrontation scenario in the World Cup often evokes memories of historic matches between the two nations, which have already featured notable duels in past editions. It is important to highlight that all knockout stages are played in a single game, increasing the intensity of each match.
Both teams started their World Cup campaign with a draw, and they still have two matches left in the qualifying phase. Brazil has commitments scheduled against Haiti this Friday and, later, against Scotland next Wednesday. In turn, the Netherlands will face Sweden this Saturday and Tunisia the following Thursday.
