It's a sight that amazes the world every time, but for Japanese fans, it's just normal. Their tradition of cleaning up stadiums after a match is simply a part of their culture, and they've done it again in Dallas.
DALLAS: The game was over, the teams had left, but the Japanese football fans stayed back. And once again, they have won the hearts of people across the world. After a thrilling World Cup Group F match against the Netherlands, Japan's fans, known as the 'Blue Samurai', did what they are famous for – they cleaned up the stadium.
They collected all the leftover plastic bottles, food waste, and wrappers from the stands. Pictures and videos of them cleaning up have, unsurprisingly, gone viral on social media.
Why do Japanese fans clean the stadium?
While the world is always amazed by this gesture, for the Japanese, this is just a part of their culture. Cleanliness, respect for public spaces, and a sense of collective responsibility are given huge importance in Japanese society. So, for them, cleaning the space they occupied isn't some extraordinary act; it's a normal part of their life.
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We saw the same thing during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They made headlines for cleaning the stands after their historic win against Germany. They even cleaned up after the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador, a game their own team wasn't even playing in. Now, that same history has repeated itself in Dallas. While the players are grabbing attention on the field, the fans are earning praise for their conduct in the stands.
The match in Dallas was a real nail-biter, with Japan holding the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw. The first half was goalless, but both teams played aggressive football in the second half. The Netherlands took the lead first with a goal from Virgil van Dijk, but Japan fought back. The Dutch team then took the lead again through Crysencio Summerville, and it looked like they had the win in the bag. But Japan made a stunning comeback. In the 88th minute, Daichi Kamada scored a brilliant header to secure a draw for Japan.
