Japan, Neymar’s favourite opponents?

After an absence of almost 1,000 days, Neymar is fully back in the Brazil fold. The 34-year-old made his first appearance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the 3-0 win over Scotland and now turns his attention to a Round of 32 clash against his favourite opponents, Japan.

No side has suffered more at Neymar’s hands. He has scored nine goals against Japan, with Peru (six) next on his list, followed by Bolivia, Ecuador and the USA (five each).

Neymar is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals from 129 appearances, two more than Pele. He made his international debut in 2010 at just 18 years and six months. Now in his mid-thirties, he has joined Pele, Ronaldo and Cafu as the only Brazil players to feature in four World Cup editions.

Neymar’s first outing against Japan came on 16 October 2012 in a friendly in Poland, which Brazil won 4-0. He scored twice—one from the penalty spot and another from an Oscar assist—while also setting up a goal for Kaka. He was 20 at the time and still playing for Santos, the club he returned to in 2025. The Brazilian media quickly labelled him a wonder boy.

The second meeting came on the opening day of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup on 15 June in Brasilia. Neymar struck inside three minutes with a superb volley from outside the box, a goal later voted his best in a Brazil shirt in a 2020 Globo Esporte poll. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari described him after the match as a “star”. Brazil went on to win the tournament, with Neymar claiming the Golden Ball. He finished among the top scorers with four goals, behind Spain’s Fernando Torres and Brazil teammate Fred. Shortly after the Confederations Cup, he signed for Barcelona and moved to Europe.

Arguably Neymar’s finest performance against Japan came in his third meeting on Tuesday, 14 October 2014. The two sides met in a friendly in Singapore, where Neymar produced a stunning solo display. Brazil cruised to a 4-0 win, with the then-Barcelona forward scoring all four goals, assisted by Diego Tardelli, Philippe Coutinho (twice) and Kaka. He could have had a fifth, had a free-kick not come back off the woodwork.

“Just the thought of it gives me goosebumps,” he said afterwards. “It’s an overwhelming feeling. I’m over the moon. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined achieving something like this with the national team. I’m lost for words.”

It was the first four-goal haul by a Brazil player since Romario in 2000, taking Neymar to 40 international goals in just 58 appearances. Then-coach Dunga praised his creativity, saying: “He enjoys playing at the highest level. For him, it’s like a kick-about with his mates.”

Neymar has recorded four-goal hauls at various stages of his career, including with Brazil’s U-20s, Santos, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. He even scored five in a single match in an 8-1 Copa do Brasil win over Guarani in 2010. In fact, Guarani remain the only team to have conceded more goals to him than Japan, with 10 in total.

In more recent meetings, Neymar also scored in Brazil’s wins over Japan on 10 November 2017 (3-1) and 6 June 2022 (1-0), both while playing for PSG. Those strikes took his tally to nine goals in just five matches against them. If he features on Monday in the Round of 32, it will be his sixth appearance against Japan, with Brazilian hopes high that familiar opposition once again brings out his best.