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We caught up pinch nan Japanese nationalist squad nan time earlier their lucifer astatine "Jerry World" — aka Dallas Stadium — for nan FIFA 2026 World Cup.
We had been stepping astir downtown Dallas aft a wonderfully dense Tex-Mex lunch, taking successful nan sights of a metropolis wholly caught up successful World Cup fever.
Soccer fans stitchery astatine a FIFA World Cup instrumentality area successful a downtown Dallas parkland to watch unrecorded tourney action connected a elephantine outdoor screen. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)
When we recovered retired Team Japan was staying astatine nan W Hotel conscionable a fewer blocks away, we decided to brave nan 90-degree Texas power and locomotion complete conscionable to spot what was happening. Our timing couldn’t person been better.
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As we deed nan area of Nowitzki Way and Houston Street — aptly named aft an NBA fable and a leader of nan Texas Revolution — constabulary were blocking disconnected nan ray Saturday day traffic.
A motorcycle bull flashed his lights and blared his siren, and past we saw it: a monolithic autobus decked retired successful blue, sporting nan unmistakable reddish disc of nan Land of nan Rising Sun.
The autobus pulled up to nan W, and we moved toward nan barrier. A twelve aliases truthful Japanese fans were waving and bouncing for illustration a J-Pop set had conscionable arrived, shouting players' names arsenic they stepped disconnected nan bus.
They were conscionable returning from their section training guidelines astatine SMU, but nan power was already electric.
Japan's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad autobus arrives nether constabulary supervision successful a big metropolis up of tourney activities. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)
As societal media has proven since nan tourney kicked off, Japan is perfectly soccer-crazy. Case successful point:
What elicited those deafening chants agelong earlier kickoff?
Simply a unrecorded broadcast of nan squad getting disconnected nan autobus astatine nan stadium. Not warming up, not kicking a shot —just stepping to nan locker room.
Japan and nan Netherlands are honored during a FIFA World Cup pre-match ceremonial arsenic elephantine nationalist flags are displayed crossed nan section earlier kickoff. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)
It’s difficult not to guidelines for Japan these days. As nan state enjoys an unprecedented activity of world fame acknowledgment to tourism, food, and popular culture, their shot fans person risen to nan apical of nan world stage.
They are passionate, incredibly friendly, and famously respectful — embracing American culture while meticulously cleaning up their stadium rows whether they win, lose, aliases draw.
Thanks to my family connections, I sewage to beryllium correct successful nan heavy of it. Nothing against nan Dutch, but unless nan USA is connected nan pitch, I’m a Lone Star Samurai Blue.
Japan supporters airs for a photograph extracurricular a FIFA World Cup venue, showing their squad tone pinch look paint, headbands, and nationalist squad jerseys. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)
My brother-in-law and nephew traveled each nan measurement from Tokyo to my location authorities to spot nan crippled pinch my boy and me. It was their 3rd World Cup, but my very first.
To springiness them nan afloat Texas experience, we checked disconnected each nan staples: homemade and edifice BBQ, Tex-Mex, Buc-ee’s, and a travel to nan weapon range. They loved each infinitesimal of it.
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We had bought our tickets nan time they went connected sale, landing seats up adjacent nan stadium roof. But it didn't matter — location isn’t a bad spot successful nan house.
We were surrounded by nan faithful, pinch nan "ultras" conscionable disconnected to our left. No matter what was happening connected nan field, they ne'er stopped chanting "Nippon! Nippon!"
The ambiance surpassed immoderate sporting arena I’ve ever attended successful person.
Nearly everyone was decked retired successful squad colors: nan Dutch fans were mostly stoic; nan Japanese fans were loud, animated, and keeping nan stadium rocking.
Japan's ultra supporters cheer from nan stands during a FIFA World Cup match, creating a vibrant ambiance arsenic they rally down their team. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)
The lucifer opened pinch a very American, rocket-launch-style countdown.
The first half, however, was thing but explosive.
The Netherlands dominated possession while Japan sat backmost and defended. "Turgid" mightiness beryllium 1 measurement to picture it; "cagey" and "strategic" are astir apt much complimentary. Both teams played precisely to type.
The 2nd half was a wholly different story, bursting pinch action connected some ends of nan pitch. The Netherlands struck first erstwhile legendary defender Virgil van Dijk opened nan scoring pinch 1 of his trademark headers.
Instead of falling silent, Japan’s fans conscionable sewage louder and jumped harder. The players fed disconnected that energy. Just 7 minutes later, Japan struck backmost done Keito Nakamura.
The equalizer brought roar aft roar from nan crowd.
In nan chaos, I high-fived my family, nan family successful beforehand of me, nan Japanese family to my left, and accidentally high-fived nan family down maine who were wearing Netherlands jerseys.
Luckily, they didn’t look to mind.
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The Dutch reclaimed nan lead successful nan 64th infinitesimal done West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville, and erstwhile again, nan Japanese fans responded by cranking up nan noise. The players picked up nan pace, pushing higher and harder up nan field.
Their reward came successful nan 89th minute. Japan earned a area and converted it into a superb extremity disconnected nan heads of Koki Ogawa and Daichi Kamada.
A thrilling 2-2 tie was a highly respectable measurement to commencement nan tournament.
While casual observers mightiness not traditionally group Japan pinch soccer's elite, they aren't astonishing anyone who has been paying attention.
Japan’s women’s squad are already world powers pinch a World Cup trophy to their name, and nan men’s squad has notched immoderate superior giant-killings recently, beating Brazil and top-five classed England successful nan run-up to 2026.
(Not to mention their stunning triumph complete Spain successful nan 2022 World Cup, which knocked four-time champions Germany retired of nan tournament).
Fans representing Japan and nan Netherlands watch a FIFA World Cup lucifer from a stadium suite arsenic supporters capable nan stands below. (Bryan Preston/Fox News Digital)
And while nan home J-League is complete 30 years aged and thriving, nan nationalist squad has softly go a European powerhouse.
The immense mostly of its roster plays for top-tier European clubs: defender Takehiro Tomiyasu was a instrumentality favourite pinch English giants Arsenal earlier moving to Ajax; maestro Takefusa Kubo is astatine Real Sociedad; goalkeeper Zion Suzuki is pinch Parma; Hiroki Ito is astatine Bayern Munich; and Kamada is astatine Crystal Palace.
That is simply a monolithic magnitude of elite European experience, and that's not moreover each of Japan's nationalist squad talent.
They are incredibly good. They play for illustration a tight team, pinch method intelligence and a nasty counterattack that tin flood nan opposition's half successful a flash.
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Will they triumph it all? Probably not this clip around. But they're going to make a batch of giants tense earlier they're done. Just inquire nan Dutch.
No matter really acold they spell successful nan tournament, 1 point is already certain: Japan's fans person won complete nan world. And they'll astir apt time off nan stadium cleaner than they recovered it.
Go Samurai Blue, y'all!
Bryan Preston is simply a subject seasoned and a Senior Editor astatine Fox News.
