The 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar tournament has finally entered the semi-final stage. The Japan national team lost to Croatia in the first round of the finals and failed to advance to the quarterfinals. But fans around the world praised their performance in the group stage, where they defeated favorites Germany and Spain. Such praise was also sent to the fans who flew from Japan to the camp. Many Japanese fans have now returned to Japan after the defeat of the Japan national team, but new recognition has come from the field. “They are incredible people,” said one of the Brazil national team fans.
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Brazil fan speaks enthusiastically about ‘Everyone has dignity’
The official Japanese World Cup Twitter account (@FIFAWorldCup_JP) provides daily coverage of the fierce battles, player expressions and fan excitement from participating countries in the stands. Of the posts conveying the excitement of the tournament, one video that received nearly 20,000 likes is particularly captivating.
Two men appear in the video. The man on the right wearing the Japan national team kit is Koharon, a Japanese YouTuber who is an ambassador for FIFA+, a FIFA-run video site for this tournament. He’s wearing a “Kissou” headband and points the mic at the man next to you in the yellow shirt.
The man with the carnival-style feather decoration on his head is, of course, a fan of the Brazilian national team. When the mic was pointed at him, he excitedly started saying, “That’s all I have to say to you.” Then, he told the Japan national team fans in English: “You guys are incredibly amazing people.
“Even if you go to the stadium, you come home clean, you can really respect that, everyone has dignity. It’s really the best.
At this year’s World Cup, the sight of Japan national team fans cleaning up the area where they were after the game and picking up trash was an important topic. The fans of the Brazilian national team, having learned of this behavior, seemed to want to convey their “love” at any cost.
In response to this post, “Even if the country is different, the sky is connected and if your love for football remains the same, your thoughts should cross borders.” We received comments like: “I want to take a long vacation in Brazil when the coronavirus is gone!” and “Thanks to everyone in the world.”
Unfortunately, like Japan, Brazil also lost to Croatia. And with the top four teams from Argentina, Croatia, France and Morocco joining together, the fierce battle for the world title is finally drawing to a close. The Japan national team ended up with a disappointing result, but it was an unforgettable tournament, not only for their play but also for their strong impression of Japan’s virtues.
(Hint-Pot editorial staff)
