🇯🇵 The comment that moved me the most
After Japan’s loss to Brazil, former Japan international Atsuto Uchida shared one of the most touching comments of the tournament.
He said: “Watching this Japan team, I used to feel proud wearing the Hinomaru. But now, when I come to the stadium and see them play, I feel proud just to be Japanese.
This team made me feel that way. They were truly a great team.”
It wasn’t just about results — it was about the pride and identity the players gave to the people watching them.
Everyone has been so impressed by Japanese fans cleaning up after themselves but most probably missed this beautiful moment at the post-game (🇳🇱2 - 2🇯🇵) press conference.
Toward the end after reporters were done asking questions, 🇯🇵head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, asked to speak one more time.
🗣️ “May I speak?”
He turned to the Dutch reporters in the room.
🗣️ “I think there are many Dutch reporters here as well, so I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the people of the Netherlands once again.”
Moriyasu explained that when he became part of the Japan national team, Japanese football still had no professional league.
🗣️ “I was trained by a Dutch coach named Hans Ooft. It wasn’t just me. Japanese coaches in general were greatly influenced by him, which has led to the development of Japanese soccer today.”
He also mentioned another Dutch figure who shaped his career.
🗣️ “The legendary Dutch coach Wim Jansen served as the manager for J.League’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima and also as a coach for Urawa Reds, contributing to Japanese soccer.”
🗣️ “It’s not just those two. Many other coaches and players have contributed to raising the level of Japanese soccer, so I want to express my thanks. Thank you very much.”
What a masterclass in graciousness and gratitude. Imagine after a high-stakes match, instead of basking in glory and bravado (well-deserved in my opinion), the coach took to the microphone to... thank his opponents publicly and sincerely.
Japan's cultural operating system prizes harmony (wa), respect for precedent, and gratitude as a form of strength, not weakness. Japanese sports culture reflects its broader society where you'll see athletes bow to their opponents, thanking referees, and even crediting rivals or mentors.
Think of sumo wrestlers, Olympic athletes, or even bullet-train staff apologizing for a 30-second delay.
The Japanese have this concept of On (恩) - it is the sense of indebtedness to those who came before or helped you. It's what you'd expect from a culture that truly prizes continuity.
Moriyasu was acknowledging a real debt to Dutch coaches like Hans Ooft (who coached Japan in the early 90s and helped professionalize the game) and Wim Jansen. Japanese football openly credits foreign influences - Dutch "Total Football" philosophy, German organization, Brazilian flair - while building something distinctly their own. Few nations do this with such little ego.
Japan is pure class
オランダ戦後、森保監督がオランダの記者に対し、神対応をしていたことが判明。
2-2の引き分け後の記者会見。すべての質問が終わった後、森保一監督がもう一度マイクを求めた。
「オランダの記者の方々がいると思いますので、改めてお礼を申し上げたい」
シンガポールのジャーナリスト、メリッサ・チェン氏が、明かした。
森保監督「私が日本代表に関わった頃、日本にはまだプロリーグがなかった。オランダ人指導者ハンス・オフトに育ててもらった。
ウィム・ヤンセンも日本サッカーに貢献してくれた。多くのコーチや選手が日本サッカーのレベルを上げてくれた。ありがとうございます」
試合の直後に、勝利の余韻に浸るのではなく、相手国の記者たちに向かって深々と頭を下げた。
日本には「恩」という概念がある。自分を育ててくれた人へ。公の場で、言葉にして返す。
相撲取りやオリンピック選手、新幹線スタッフが30秒の遅れを謝罪する姿を想像してみてほしい。
スタジアムを清掃するサポーター。相手を称える監督。これは偶然ではない。日本という国の文化そのものだ。
“The video was generated using AI(Grok)”
🚨Zinedine Zidane on Japan displaying Wataru Endō’s jersey after their 2-2 draw with the Netherlands:
🗣️“I have played football my entire life, and moments like that remind you why this sport means so much to people. When I saw Endō’s shirt hanging on the bench and his teammates holding it after the game, it genuinely touched me.
We spend so much time talking about tactics, formations, and results, but sometimes football gives you something far more powerful. It gives you moments of humanity.
Imagine working your entire career for one final World Cup, only for an injury to take it away just days before the tournament begins. Then imagine watching your teammates refuse to let the world forget you. That’s special.
What struck me most was that Japan didn’t do it for the cameras or the headlines. You could see the emotion on their faces. It came from the heart.
The 89th-minute equaliser was incredible, but I honestly think the image of Endō’s shirt will be remembered longer than the goal itself. Some moments are bigger than football.
As an opponent, you can’t help but respect it. You could see that this team isn’t just playing for themselves anymore. They’re carrying the dream of a teammate who should have been standing beside them.
That’s what makes Japan dangerous in this tournament. Not just their quality, but their unity. They look like a team willing to suffer for each other until the very last second.
And if I’m Endō watching from home tonight, I probably have tears in my eyes. Because no trophy, medal, or speech can replace the feeling of knowing that your teammates haven’t forgotten you.”