Japan was eliminated from the 2022 World Cup following a 1-1 draw and losing to Croatia on penalties (1-3).
This was after the Japanese took the lead in the 43rd minute and the Croatians equalised in the 55th minute.
Croatia will advance to the quarter-finals.
Still cleaned stadium
However, sad as they were, the Japanese — true to form — stayed back at the stadium to clean it up before leaving.
Even after a heartbreaking loss in the Round of 16 losing on pens to Croatia, Japan fans stayed after the match to clean the stadium 🇯🇵
The beautiful game ❤️ a credit to the tournament. pic.twitter.com/D0xxqrxCkX
— ⚽️ 𝑨𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝑫𝒂𝒚 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 🏴 (@away_tours) December 5, 2022
The photos circulated online showed crestfallen Japanese football fans down but not out, as they packed up the trash in their signature blue plastic bags.
A video of their civic-minded behaviour — leaving a place cleaner than before they came — has also been put up online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iv9P1t4X_w
“For Japanese people, this is just a normal thing to do,” said Hajime Moriyasu, the coach of the Japanese team, according to The New York Times previously, after the stadium-cleaning antics gained international recognition prompting other fans from different countries to follow suit.
The coach added: “When you leave a place, you have to leave it cleaner than it was before.”
One spectator at the stadium also shone the spotlight on the Japanese after the defeat to Croatia.
Japan vs Croatia match report
Top photo via Twitter & YouTube
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