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Japanese fans clean trash at Dallas Stadium
FOX 4's Steven Dial was inside Dallas Stadium for Sunday's 2-2 Netherlands vs. Japan draw. He talked to fans who called it an incredible game. He also saw fans of the Samurai Blue continuing their tradition of cleaning up trash.
ARLINGTON, Texas - Fans from Japan were seen on social media cleaning up the trash at Dallas Stadium after Sunday’s World Cup match against the Netherlands.
Japan’s fans clean up the stadium
What we know:
FOX 4’s Steven Dial posted a video clip of New York Giants QB Jameis Winston, who is working with FOX for World Cup coverage, helping several Japanese fans pick up trash.
Fans of the ‘Samurai Blue’ went viral during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because of their post-match tradition. This match was no different. Fans were seen picking up bottles and food wrappings left in the stands.
What they're saying:
"Japanese sports fans at world events who clean up the stadium are behaving much the same way they did when they learned how to enjoy sports as school boys and girls," Koichi Nakano, who teaches politics and history at Sophia University, told The Associated Press.
According to FOX Sports, there is a phrase in Japanese that explains it – "Tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu." In English, that means "return it the way you found it." It’s a lesson most people in Japan learn in elementary school, when they are expected to clean up after themselves.
Netherlands vs. Japan match ends in draw
The Netherlands and Japan played to a thrilling 2-2 draw in their opening World Cup Group F match in Dallas after a scoreless first half exploded into life.
Goals from Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville twice put the Dutch ahead, but the resilient Samurai Blue answered back each time, sealing the point with an 88th-minute header from Daichi Kamada.
Read More: Netherlands vs. Japan match at Dallas Stadium ends in draw
The Source: The information in this story comes from FOX 4's Steven Dial, who was reporting live inside the stadium, FOX Sports, the Associated Press, and past news coverage.