<figure id="attachment_3214571" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3214571" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3214571" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ff67c008-david-neo-1.jpg" alt="David Neo" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3214571" class="wp-caption-text">David Neo&#8217;s remarks sparked criticism and overshadowed Singapore&#8217;s return to Asian Cup qualification for the first time since 1984. (David Neo/FB)</figcaption></figure>
SINGAPORE: A Singapore minister says he &#8220;should have been more respectful&#8221; after calling Hong Kong football players and fans &#8220;idiots&#8221; following a decisive 2027 Asian Cup qualifier.
David Neo&#8217;s remarks sparked criticism and overshadowed Singapore&#8217;s 2-1 win in Hong Kong, which took them to the continent&#8217;s top competition for the first time since 1984.
Neo congratulated the Singapore team in the changing room after Tuesday&#8217;s game, calling the result &#8220;fantastic&#8221;, according to a video clip posted on Instagram by one of the players.
&#8220;You (were) pressured by them, all the fans were bloody idiots, end up players&#8230; they also played like idiots, but you all played like lions,&#8221; Neo said.
Neo, the acting minister for culture, community and youth, later said he regretted the remarks.
&#8220;Indeed, I probably should have been more respectful,&#8221; he wrote on Instagram in response to a comment on there condemning his remarks.
&#8220;I take back what I said. The Hong Kong team was really tough and their fans were fully behind them. That&#8217;s something we should respect, and let&#8217;s also get behind our Lions.&#8221;
Singapore&#8217;s nickname is the Lions.
Neo&#8217;s ministry did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment on Thursday.
Hong Kong&#8217;s football association also did not respond to a similar request.

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