Japan Team Shines at World Cup by Cleaning Locker Room After Match

2026 FIFA World Cup Key News

(Taipei, Arlington, Texas, June 16 — Comprehensive foreign media report) U.S. fashion magazine Complex and its sports division’s Instagram account posted photos on the 15th showing Japan’s national football team cleaning their locker room after their opening World Cup match against the Netherlands, sparking widespread discussion.

Japan’s Sankei Shimbun, citing Complex, reported that the Instagram photos showed players’ training shirts and towels neatly folded in the center of what appeared to be a locker room. Additionally, garbage bags and empty water bottles were orderly arranged in one designated area.

The post explained: 'After drawing with the Netherlands, Japan’s team has once again captured global attention through their actions. The players cleaned the locker room spotlessly, continuing the admirable tradition of Japanese players and fans who, even off the pitch, highly value cleanliness, discipline, and respect.'

In Group F’s match, Japan faced European powerhouse the Netherlands in a fiercely contested game, ultimately ending in a 2-2 draw. Japanese fans at the match venue, Dallas Stadium in the United States, also drew significant attention for voluntarily cleaning up trash after the game.

The UK’s Daily Mail ran a story titled 'The Real Heroes of the World Cup: The Elegant Cleanup by Japanese Fans,' while FIFA’s official X account shared a video of Japanese fans tidying the stadium, commenting, 'Japanese fans clean the stadium after every match. The reason? Respect.'

(Translation: Li Jing / Proofreading: Yang Weijing) 1150616

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