This act of cleaning after them in a football stadium has become synonymous with the fans of the ‘Blue Samurai’. Even the world governing body, FIFA, posted a video of their beautiful gesture.
WATCH viral video shared by FIFA of Japanese fans cleaning up the Dallas Stadium HERE…
Explaining the motivation behind the gesture, one Japan supporter was quoted as saying by ANI news agency, “That’s the culture. But it’s like respect for everything. Respect for the players, supporters and also for the stadium. We are honoured to be here, so we don’t want to make a mess and then leave it. So I think that’s the reason why we are doing it.”
Japanese fans have built a reputation for themselves for cleaning stadiums after matches at major international sporting events – which include the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games.
According to ESPN website, the tradition first went viral during the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, when Japanese supporters were spotted picking up ‘litter’ after games despite their team being eliminated in the Group Stages.
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar four years back, Japanese supporters notably cleaned their section of the Khalifa International Stadium after celebrating a memorable 2-1 victory over Germany.
The viral scenes of the Japan fans at Dallas Stadium came after the ‘Blue Samurai’ produced a sensational comeback to earn a point against the Netherlands. Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu said his team gained confidence from a 2-2 draw against the Dutch.
“I am not satisfied with only one point, but I believe this point is worth more than a point. The players executed our game plan well and showed strong response under pressure. Coming back twice has given us great confidence,” Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
“The Netherlands is a very strong side. Our players stayed united, showed toughness and fighting spirit, and although we are disappointed not to win, this match will help us go forward,” Moriyasu added.