‘It’s respect for everything’: Japan fans win hearts again with touching World Cup tradition – Watch

Japanese fans use blue bags to keep the cleansing tradition of the World Cup after a draw. (Photo credit: FIFA) Japan’s supporters have once again captured the imagination of football fans around the world, not only because of the atmosphere they created during a thrilling FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands, but also because of what they did after the final whistle.Hours after Daichi Kamada’s dramatic 88th-minute equalizer saved Japan to a 2-2 draw in Group F, videos emerged showing the Samurai Blue faithful clearing the stands at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, continuing a tradition that has become synonymous with Japanese soccer culture.FIFA shared footage of the heartwarming scenes on social media, with fans using the same blue bags they passionately waved during the match to collect rubbish before leaving the stadium.

‘It’s like respect for everything’

One supporter explained why Japanese fans continue to train, delivering a message that resonated throughout the football world.“That’s the culture. But it’s like respect for everything. Respect for the players, the fans and also the stadium. It’s an honor to be here, so we don’t want to make a mess and then leave it. So I think that’s why we’re doing it,” the fan said in a video shared by FIFA.Just a few minutes before, the blue bags played a different role. They were celebrated when Keito Nakamura first equalized before Kamada headed home from Koki Ogawa’s corner in the 88th minute to grab a valuable point for Japan.

A tradition that started in 1998

The practice first attracted global attention during Japan’s first appearance at the World Cup in France in 1998. Despite their team exiting the group stage, Japanese supporters were left to pick up litter after matches.The gesture has since become a household name at major sporting events, including the Olympics and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where Japanese fans cleaned the stands after their famous 2-1 win over Germany.The tradition has now caught on in the United States, leaving AT&T Stadium spotless after a game that brought plenty of drama to the field.

Kamada’s late strike saves Japan

The heartwarming scenes came after Japan fought back twice against the Netherlands. Virgil van Dijk opened the scoring early in the second half before Keito Nakamura equalized for Samurai Blue.Crysencio Summerville restored the Netherlands’ advantage in the 64th minute, but Kamada’s late header sparked wild celebrations among the Japanese supporters and secured a deserved share of the points.