The knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup had barely begun when German economist Joachim Klement suffered a major blow to his predictions. Following Brazil’s elimination of Japan, Brazilian superstar Neymar took to social media to mock the analyst, whose remaining bracket forecast still stands.
Joachim Klement entered the 2026 tournament with a golden reputation. The German economist became famous for correctly predicting the champions of the 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cups. His mathematical model relies on unique variables such as population size, wealth, climate, football culture, and official FIFA rankings.
Before this year’s tournament kicked off, Klement published a complete knockout-stage simulation, predicting that Japan would eliminate Brazil in the Round of 32 in what would have been one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
However, Klement’s prediction completely failed. Carlo Ancelotti’s side came from behind to secure a thrilling 2-1 victory over Japan. The win guaranteed the Seleção a place in the Round of 16 and invalidated one of the most debated predictions ahead of the knockout phase.
Neymar wasted no time reacting to the economist’s failed forecast. On his X account, the Brazilian forward posted a short, ironic message directed at Klement: “Mr. Joachim Klement… please try again at the next World Cup.”
Although Brazil shattered a portion of Klement’s prophecy, the core of his tournament bracket remains alive. Among his biggest remaining predictions is the Netherlands winning the 2026 World Cup by defeating Portugal in the final.
