Rafael van der Vaart has issued an apology following his controversial claim that Japan's players 'all look alike'. The former Real Madrid and Tottenham midfielder insisted there was 'no racist or discriminatory intent' behind his remarks, made during Japan's draw against the Netherlands.
Statement of Regret
In a statement, Van der Vaart said: "I understand that some people found my words hurtful. I sincerely regret that. If I have upset people because of this, I offer my apologies. That was never my intention." He added: "I take the reactions that have arisen seriously and understand that words can be interpreted differently. Therefore, I think it is important to make it clear that there was no racist or discriminatory intent behind my statement. I hope this explanation provides more clarity about my intentions and the context in which the remark was made."
Context of the Comment
The comments came during television coverage of the match between the Netherlands and Japan, where Van der Vaart had been analysing Micky van de Ven's defensive display. He said: "He loses him completely. You can see him moving around. If you are the one marking him, then you are responsible for your man. Look, he's completely unmarked. Van de Ven is nowhere to be seen. He is completely free to make that header." He then added: "They do all look alike of course, perhaps he thought that." An uncomfortable silence descended upon the studio, prompting Van der Vaart to continue: "That's a joke of course. I'm scared to say anything at all."
Criticism of Van Dijk
Van der Vaart also questioned Virgil van Dijk's defensive display during the match. The former Hamburg playmaker believes the Liverpool star appeared sluggish when turning against Japan. He said: "I have to be honest: I was quite shocked by Van Dijk. With him, I thought: that doesn't look good. Especially while turning. It is proving very difficult. A bit like a Boeing 747 turning. I hope he starts turning a bit faster during the tournament."
Koeman's Response
Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman emphasised Japan's quality. "I am disappointed that we didn't win, but that's because we were ahead twice. Many people underestimate Japan, but for the 100,000 time, if you underestimate them, that's your problem. You think that Japan's strength was overexaggerated before the match? Let's wait until the end of the World Cup to see who's right."
