There aren't many certainties in life. But one of them, most probably, is Japan's team giving it their all on the field and setting a really high standard of conduct off it.
At their opening match of the 2026 World Cup, Japan displayed incredible fighting spirit as they battled to a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their Group F opener at the Dallas Stadium in Texas.
And in what has become an endearing post-match ritual, the Samurai Blue supporters took their time to clean the stands afterwards.
Japan fans were seen picking up the litter and placing it in plastic bags to be cleared by the stadium staff.
Their team members also followed the same routine. Japan's dressing room after the match was in almost pristine condition, with all clothing items placed in a neat pile and garbage in large plastic bags.
Fifa posted a video on social media where a member of Japan's travelling contingent explained whey they clean up after every game.
"That's the culture. But it's like respect for everything. Respect for players, supporters and also for the stadium. We are honoured to be here. We don't want to make a mess and then leave it," a supporter said in a video posted by Fifa on X.
It continued a long-standing tradition that started when Japan fans were first spotted picking up trash at the stadiums during the 1998 World Cup in France.
"For Japanese people, this is just a normal thing to do," Hajime Moriyasu, coach of the 2022 team, told The Athletic. "When you leave a place, you have to leave it cleaner than it was before."
“It’s one of our traditions,” Toshi Yoshizawa, a Japan supporter, was earlier quoted as saying by the Associated Press. “We grew up with the teaching that we should leave a place cleaner than when we arrived.”
"This is our culture, that means everywhere we go we need to clean it after ourselves. It's our spiritual way, our attitude," Futo Hagiwara, another supporter, told AFP.
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston, who was at the venue as a FOX Sports correspondent for the World Cup, joined the Japan contingent in cleaning the stands. Winston wore a Japan jersey and carried a blue trash bag to help with the clean-up.
