The REAL heroes of the World Cup: Classy Japan fans clean up after themselves following draw against the Netherlands
Japanese football fans have once again been praised for their cleanliness after thousands descended on Dallas carrying garbage bags for the country’s World Cup opener.
The Samurai Blue began their campaign against the Netherlands on Sunday at a packed and air-conditioned AT&T Stadium as temperatures soared above 40C in Texas.
It was a shrewd affair until Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk gave his side the lead after the break, but Japan responded with a Keito Nakamura snap.
But just a few minutes later, the Netherlands’ advantage was restored, thanks to Crysencio Summerville’s curling effort that slotted into the bottom corner.
For a long time it looked like the West Ham star’s strike had earned him the three points, but with just minutes remaining Japan earned a point when Koki Ogawa’s powerful header headed past Daichi Kamada.
It was an impressive start to the Asian nation’s eighth World Cup; But football isn’t the only thing Japan deserves praise for.
Japanese football fans have once again been praised for their cleanliness after thousands of people descended on Dallas carrying garbage bags for the World Cup opener.
Pictures show dozens of fans clearing coffee cups, sweet wrappers and crisp packets after watching their team draw 2-2 on Sunday.
Japan fans have earned a reputation as football’s classiest fans
This came after scores of fans lined the streets of Dallas waving trash bags in the air.
Having traveled 6,000 miles to Dallas, the Japanese arrived in Texas carrying hundreds of bags of trash, and many dedicated supporters stayed long after the final whistle to clean up the trash.
Footage released before the match showed scores of fans walking through the streets of the American city before passing their bags around the stadium as the players warmed up.
Football fans praised the Japanese on social media after the match, describing them as ‘classy’ and ‘respectful’.
One wrote: ‘Class will always remain. Regardless of the score on the field, Japanese fans win every tournament. ‘I have great respect.’
Another wrote: ‘They have such class, it’s rare to see a country that always stays out of trouble and shows love.’
Another was written simply: ‘Take me to Japan. Crazy level of discipline.’
However, the Japanese do not reserve their rituals only for big events.
In March, fans were hailed as ‘selfless’ and ‘respectful’ after staying for nearly an hour to clean up the mess left behind after an international friendly against England.
Fans put their trash in garbage bags after sweeping the stands all day
While the players were warming up, the Japanese continued to show their garbage bags
In Japan, cleanliness is a big part of the culture and is instilled in people from a young age.
Following the match, dozens of football fans took to social media to praise the Japanese fans.
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Should other football fans learn from Japan’s example and clean themselves after matches?
Videos and images showed scores of visiting fans milling around the stands at Wembley Stadium, collecting coffee cups, crisp packets and sweet wrappers.
He earned praise from supporters who wrote “Thank you” on Wembley’s official social media page.
At the last World Cup final in Qatar four years ago, the Japanese were praised for coming late to clean up after their historic 2-1 victory over Germany.
After defeating Colombia 2-1 at the 2018 tournament in Russia, fans made sure there was no confusion left behind before leaving the Mordovia Arena in Saransk.
This move in the 2018 tournament appeared to spark a trend; Senegalese fans were later seen cleaning up after their win against Poland.
Japanese players were also praised for leaving their dressing rooms spotless.
While the fans cleaned the stands after the win over Germany, the team left the dressing room in immaculate condition; He even left behind origami swans with a thank you note in Japanese and Arabic.
In Japan, cleanliness is a big part of the culture and is instilled in people from a young age.
Scott North, a professor of sociology at Osaka University, told the BBC in 2018 that collecting was a way to ‘take pride in the Japanese way of life’.
It comes after fans turned up late at Wembley after watching England beat England 1-0
‘It’s not just part of football culture, it’s part of Japanese culture,’ he said. ‘You often hear people say that football is a reflection of culture. An important aspect of Japanese society is to ensure that everything is absolutely clean, and this applies to all sporting events and certainly football.
‘Cleaning up after football matches is an extension of basic behaviors taught in school, where children clean school classrooms and corridors,’ he added.
‘These behaviors, which are constantly reminded throughout childhood, become habits for a large part of the population.’
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