Japan does it again! Blue Samurais win hearts at Dallas Stadium after World Cup draw vs Netherlands; watch viral video

Japan has a reputation of having spotless streets, highly efficient waste management and deeply ingrained civic hygiene. Although is not on top of the list but certainly they are among the top few countries regarded as cleanest in the world.

The reputation was visible at Dallas Stadium too on Sunday, after Japan's hard-fought draw against the Netherlands. In a heart-touching gesture, the Japanese fans were spotted cleaning up the stands, by collecting the half-eaten food and discarded plastic from their peers.

This is not the first time Japanese fans have cleaned up the stadiums after the matches - not just in football, but in other major sporting events too, such as Olympics, where there is a national representation.

During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Blue Samurai paused their celebrations after upsetting Germany 2-1, to clean up the Khalifa International Stadium, in the area where they were seated in.

But why do they clean up the stadiums?

The tradition of Japanese fans cleaning up the stadiums first started in the 1998 World Cup where the fans spotted picking up the left-over litters after the games, despite their team's exit in the group stage. Since then, it's been a norm for the Japanese supporters wherever in the world they travel to.

After the match ended in a draw, the gesture by the Japanese fans went viral, thus drawing praise from football supporters and observers across the globe. FIFA also shared footage of the same on X (formerly Twitter).

Asked about their gesture, one of the supporters, cleaning the stadium, said they do out out of respect. "That's the culture. But it's like respect for everything. Respect for the players, supporters and also for the stadium. We are honoured to be here, so we don't want to make a mess and then leave it. So I think that's the reason why we are doing it," she explained.

It's a school of life in Japan

In Japan, cleaning chores are a part of the education in the country from an early age, and children can be seen scrubbing floors and tables at schools every day. Public waste bins are scarce in the country, and people are expected to take their rubbish home with them.

Getting rid of household waste can be a labyrinthine task that involves separating rubbish into different categories. A Sociology professor at the Osaka University, Scott North, explained the whole Japanese tradition.

“Cleaning up after football matches is an extension of basic behaviours that are taught in school, where the children clean their school classrooms and hallways,” North told BBC in 2018, reported ESPN.

"With constant reminders throughout childhood, these behaviours become habits for much of the population. In addition to their heightened consciousness of the need to be clean and to recycle, cleaning up at events like the World Cup is a way Japanese fans demonstrate pride in their way of life and share it with the rest of us," he added.

What happened in Netherlands vs Japan?

During the match, Japan produced a spirited comeback to earn a point in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Netherlands. Virgil van Dijk gave the Dutch the lead early in the second half in the 51st minute before Japan responded through Keita Nakamura six minutes later.

Crysencio Summerville restored the Netherlands' advantage in the 64th minute, but Daichi Kamada struck in the 88th minute to secure a 2-2 draw. While the result kept both teams level on one point in Group F.

Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.