Amsterdam: Former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart has publicly apologized for his use of inappropriate language towards a player from the Japanese national team. The incident occurred during a television analysis segment in the Netherlands, where van der Vaart commented on the players' similar appearances. This remark was made in context of Netherlands defender Mickey van der Veen's confusion during a match, which led to a conceded goal from a corner kick in a 2-2 draw.
According to Thai News Agency, the comments sparked significant backlash from netizens who did not find the joke amusing. Facing heavy criticism, van der Vaart, who once played for Spurs, issued an apology through his personal manager, acknowledging the inappropriateness of his remarks and expressing regret for any offense caused.