WATCH: Japan supporters continue stadium-cleaning tradition after Netherlands clash

TEXAS: Fans of Japan’s national football team once again earned praise for their conduct after their side’s 2-2 draw with the Netherlands on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Instead of celebrating noisily, Japanese supporters stayed behind after the match to collect litter from the stands, filling large plastic bags as they continued a long-standing tradition of cleaning up stadiums.

On the pitch, Daichi Kamada levelled the score in dramatic fashion, reacting quickest to a Koki Ogawa header that deflected into his path to rescue a point against a physically dominant Netherlands side.

The result saw the two highest-ranked teams in Group F share the spoils, though for Japan — who twice fell behind in the second half — the draw felt closer to a hard-earned victory.

Supporters in attendance embraced the moment while also continuing a practice that has become widely recognised at major tournaments.

Japanese fans first went viral during the 2018 World Cup in Russia when they cleaned stadium stands after matches, even following defeats that ended their team’s campaign.

The habit continued at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Japan topped Group E with memorable wins over Germany and Spain, with fans again seen tidying up their surroundings after matches.

“For Japanese people, this is just a normal thing to do,” Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu told The Athletic. “When you leave a place, you have to leave it cleaner than it was before.”

Sunday’s scene also featured an unexpected contributor, NFL quarterback Jameis Winston, who was covering the match as a correspondent for FOX.

The New York Giants backup also joined in pre-match chants with Dutch supporters outside the stadium, adding to the multicultural atmosphere around the fixture.

The gesture once again highlighted the humility and discipline associated with Japanese supporters, whose post-match routine has become one of football’s most admired traditions.