Japanese World Cup fans stunned Dallas by staying behind after their 2-2 draw to clean the entire stadium—and the world loves them for it. 
World Cup

Japanese supporters cleaning the stands after the Japan–Netherlands match — Dallas Stadium (©Sankei/Keisuke Mizushima)

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At the FIFA World Cup being held across three North and Central American nations, the post-match behavior of Japanese supporters who attended the Group F match between Japan and the Netherlands has been drawing praise from foreign media.

In Group F play on June 14, Japan faced powerhouse the Netherlands. Japan equalized in the dying moments of the match, finishing in a 2–2 draw. 

What caught attention at AT&T Stadium in Dallas was Japanese supporters' clean-up activities after the final whistle.

World Takes Notice 

The Daily Mail (online edition) covered the story under the headline: The REAL heroes of the World Cup. It reported that "Japanese football fans have once again been hailed for their cleanliness after thousands arrived in Dallas armed with bin bags for the country's World Cup opener." 

FIFA's official account on X also highlighted the Japanese clean-up effort in a video post, commenting: "The reason Japan fans clean the stadium after each game. Respect."

This tradition of Japanese supporters cleaning up after matches was also seen at the previous 2022 Qatar World Cup, where it received praise from the media around the world.

RELATED:

World Cup: Grateful Qatar Rewards Japanese Fans for Cleaning Up

Author: The Sankei Shimbun

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