"Japan is gum!" Legendary Ronaldo makes bombshell remarks... Names Japan as 'sweet matchup' in Round of 16: "We can easily beat them now; we must avoid the Netherlands"

*This content was translated by AI.

Brazilian football legend Ronaldo (50) expressed confidence by stating he wants Brazil to face Japan in the Round of 16 at the World Cup.

Japan's "Sports Hochi" reported on the 24th that "Ronaldo expressed hope that Brazil would face Japan in the Round of 16 of the North American World Cup and said, 'Japan can be easily beaten.'"

Ronaldo made these remarks while appearing on the YouTube channel "Homeru TV," operated by his former Brazil national team teammate Homeru.

Brazil, currently in Group C of the tournament, sits atop the group with one win and one draw (4 points), edging out Morocco on goal difference. If Brazil advances as the group winner, it will face the second-place team from Group F in the Round of 16.

In Group F, the Netherlands leads with 4 points, followed by Japan (4 points) in second place based on fewer goals scored, Sweden (3 points) in third, and Tunisia (0 points), which has already been eliminated.

Regarding the strength of the Brazilian national team, Ronaldo stated, "We will gradually grow stronger as the tournament progresses." However, he drew a clear line by saying he would prefer to face Japan rather than the Netherlands in the Round of 16. Ronaldo warned, "We must avoid the Netherlands. Since the (Brazilian national team) is not yet fully prepared, it is too early to face them now." In contrast, he optimistically predicted, "Japan and Sweden can be easily beaten with our current strength."

Aiming to retain their top spot in the group, Brazil will play their final Group Stage match against third-place Scotland on the 25th at 7 a.m. Similarly, Morocco, also vying for first place, will face Haiti at the same time.

Meanwhile, Japan has been performing well in this tournament, demonstrating formidable strength. In the opening match, they held a competitive game against European powerhouse the Netherlands, drawing 2-2, and then secured a decisive 4-0 victory over Tunisia in the second match with dominant performance.

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*This content was translated by AI.