World Cup: Corinthians' Memphis Depay gets minutes again off the bench | OneFootball

On the night of last Thursday (25), the Netherlands National Team faced Tunisia in a match valid for the third round of the 2026 World Cup group stage, in Kansas City, United States, and won by a score of 3-1. The goals were scored by Ellyes Skhiri (own goal), Brian Brobbey, and Jan Paul Vam Hecke. The result secured top spot in the group for the ‘Clockwork Orange’, which totaled seven points out of a possible nine — 10 goals scored and four conceded.

Corinthians forward Memphis Depay once again started the match on the bench and played for 13 minutes. He was brought on by coach Ronald Koeman in the 32nd minute of the second half, replacing his positional rival, Brobbey. According to Sofascore, a sports statistics app, the number 10 recorded: 4/5 accurate passes (80%), seven ball actions, two carries, and one ball recovery. His rating on the app was 6.2.

Photo: Reproduction/Cazé TV

His main scoring chance in the match came in the 42nd minute of the second half. Summerville received the ball out wide, took on his marker, and crossed to Memphis Depay. The Timão forward attempted a bicycle kick, but it was unsuccessful. In three World Cup matches so far, all coming off the bench, the number 10 has one assist and 51 minutes played (not counting stoppage time).

Corinthians’ number 10 is having a season below expectations. In 14 matches for Timão in 2026, he has one goal and one assist. Between the end of March and late May, Memphis was sidelined as he recovered from a grade 2 muscle injury, suffered in a match against Flamengo in Itaquera, in the eighth round of the Brasileirão.

Between the injury diagnosis and the start of the World Cup, Memphis Depay played in only two matches for Corinthians, one coming off the bench (Atlético-MG – Brasileirão) and the other as a starter (Platense-ARG – Conmebol Libertadores), but he was substituted by Fernando Diniz right at halftime. He is under contract with Alvinegro until the end of July, and there is still no decision regarding his future at Parque São Jorge.

The Dutch will now return to the field next Tuesday (30), at 10 pm (Brasília time), when they will face Morocco, which finished second in Group C (Brazil’s group), in the Round of 32. The match will take place in Mexico.

Memphis Depay’s numbers for Corinthians

Signed in September 2024 after not having his contract renewed by Atlético de Madrid, Spain, Memphis Depay arrived at Corinthians and immediately played a key role in the team’s surge in the previous edition of the Brazilian Championship (from the relegation zone to the Libertadores qualifying stage), scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 11 matches in the national tournament.

Last season and at the start of this one, he was decisive in the team’s title wins in the Campeonato Paulista (2025), Copa do Brasil (2025), and Supercopa do Brasil (2026), totaling two assists in those finals and playing an important role in the earlier knockout rounds. Wearing the Corinthians shirt, he has 20 goals and 15 assists in 79 matches.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.