Former Dutch star Rafael van der Vaart has apologized after comments described as having racist undertones towards the Japanese people during his analysis of the Netherlands vs. Japan match.
Van der Vaart commented on one of the clips, saying that Dutch defender Micky van de Veen might not have been able to mark a Japanese player because he "might think all Japanese people are the same," before later confirming that he meant it as a joke.
In a subsequent statement carried by the media, the former player said: "I am deeply sorry if what I said caused offense to anyone. I had no racist or discriminatory intentions, and I understand that words can be interpreted in different ways."
He added: "I take the reactions seriously and I apologize to anyone who felt offended."
This incident comes amid growing discussions about the behavior and media boundaries of players and analysts during the 2026 World Cup, following a series of controversies related to issues of discrimination in the stands and television statements.
