Japan supporters left the stands spotless after their World Cup opener against the Netherlands in Texas on Sunday, saying the practice reflects a deeply rooted cultural habit of tidying up after themselves.

After a 2-2 draw, fans remained in the stadium, carefully collecting litter and placing it in blue plastic bags, leaving the venue as clean as they had found it.

The behavior, learned early in primary school, is driven by a sense of collective responsibility, Japan fan Eita Tanaka told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“We have to think about everyone,” said the 20-year-old, dressed in Japan’s blue shirt and holding a beer and several cups.

“In Japan, we are taught that when we use a place, we should leave it cleaner than when we arrived. For example, in school classrooms, we tidy up without being told by a teacher.”

Japan are making their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, and their supporters’ post-match cleanups have become a familiar feature of their presence on soccer’s biggest stage.

NFL quarterback Jameis Winston was even seen joining the cleanup after Sunday’s game, wearing a blue Japan shirt with his name on the back.

Japan fan Futo Hagiwara said he was proud the behavior of his countrymen had been recognized in a positive light.

“This is our culture, which means everywhere we go we clean up after ourselves. It is our spiritual way, our attitude,” he said.

Sociologist and philosopher Masachi Ohsawa believes a mix of social responsibility and peer pressure is behind the fans’ behavior.

“While Japanese people tend not to take much interest in justice on a large scale, issues like global inequality, conflict or climate change, they are extremely sensitive to moral considerations on a smaller scale,” he said.

“When it comes to people they share the same space with or have direct personal contact with, they feel a strong desire not to cause them trouble or make them uncomfortable.”

School of life

Cleaning chores are part of Japanese education from an early age, with children often scrubbing floors and tables at school each day.

Public waste bins are scarce in the country, and people are expected to take their rubbish home.

Getting rid of household waste can be a complex task that involves separating rubbish into different categories.

Scott North, an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Osaka, said he and his neighbors get together twice a year to pull out weeds and rake up cuttings.

He said such groups are organized into leaders and followers and operate in a similar way to Japanese football supporters.

“Since everyone comes together, there’s an expectation that they’ll act as a group,” said North, an American who has lived in Japan for about 40 years.

“And when the leaders bring out the bags and say, ‘Here you go,’ nobody is going to say no.”

Sociologist Ohsawa said such behavior could be explained by what Japanese people refer to as “reading the air.”

“In Japan, even if one person starts picking up litter, those around them feel they simply cannot help but join in,” he said.

“That’s because if they don’t, the people they are with will think they are a bad person.”

He said peer pressure is a powerful social force.

“In this case, the primary motivation is not so much a desire to keep the stadium clean or avoid causing trouble for stadium workers,” he said.

“It is more a desire not to be seen as a nuisance within one’s own group.”

Whatever the reasons, Japan’s fans will continue tidying up as long as their team remains in the tournament.

Their next game is against Tunisia in Mexico on Saturday, and Hagiwara said he is happy to keep leading by example.

“We usually don’t tell children they should do it,” he said.

“We just show our actions and behavior, and other people follow.”

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France and Senegal open Group I in East Rutherford on Tuesday in a meeting shaped as much by history as by present-day ambition, bringing together a reigning powerhouse still chasing total dominance and an African giant intent on proving its place among the elite once again.

The fixture carries a deep historical charge that still lingers in World Cup memory.

Senegal’s 1-0 win over France in the 2002 opener remains one of the tournament’s defining shocks, a result that derailed the defending champions and announced the arrival of the Lions of Teranga on football’s biggest stage.

More than two decades later, the roles are different but the psychological undertow remains.

France arrive as one of the tournament favorites again, while Senegal step in as a respected contender with enough pedigree and resilience to trouble anyone on a given night.

France’s path to the tournament has been defined by control and efficiency.

Didier Deschamps’ side eased through qualification, dropping just two points and extending a remarkable run of eight straight World Cup appearances, a stretch that has also produced four final appearances in the last seven editions.

The French project under Deschamps has been built on structure and tournament reliability, and this edition adds a final layer of narrative as he prepares to step down after the competition, with Zinedine Zidane waiting to take over.

Deschamps’ legacy is already unmatched in French football history, a World Cup winner as both player and manager, but he now stands on the brink of an individual milestone.

With 14 World Cup match wins, he is closing in on Helmut Schön’s all-time record of 16, a mark that would place him alone at the top of managerial achievement in the tournament’s modern era if France navigate another deep run.

On the pitch, France remain defined by depth and firepower. A brief setback in a friendly loss to Ivory Coast raised questions, but a sharp response against Northern Ireland reinforced their attacking rhythm, continuing a trend of scoring multiple goals in nine of their last 10 matches.

Kylian Mbappe remains the focal point, arriving just one goal shy of Olivier Giroud’s all-time France scoring record, a landmark that could fall during the tournament.

Around him, France’s attacking options and midfield control continue to make them one of the most complete squads in international football.

There is also defensive reassurance. William Saliba, briefly a doubt after back issues following the Champions League final, has returned to full training. Jules Kounde is available despite a minor strain, while Mike Maignan’s brief absence from training was attributed to workload management rather than injury concern. The core of France’s structure remains intact at a crucial moment.

Senegal enter with a different kind of momentum, less about dominance and more about resilience and continuity.

Undefeated in qualification, they return for a third consecutive World Cup, building on a progression that saw a group stage exit in Russia followed by a round of 16 appearance in Qatar.

Sandwiched between those campaigns is their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, a reminder of their capacity to convert potential into silverware, even as debates linger around their standing in continental football after recent rulings and appeals involving CAF decisions.

Under Pape Thiaw, Senegal carry both tactical discipline and emotional weight.

Their preparations have been uneven, with a narrow defeat to the United States and a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia ending a long scoring streak, but their defensive record remains strong, highlighted by multiple clean sheets in recent matches.

The draw also snapped a 17-match run of scoring in all competitions, underlining how dependent they can be on moments of individual quality when collective rhythm stalls.

Thiaw’s connection to this fixture runs deeper than tactics. He was part of the Senegal squad that defeated France in 2002, an experience that still defines one of African football’s landmark nights.

Now he leads a team built around Sadio Mane, fully fit after missing the 2022 World Cup through injury and still central to Senegal’s attacking identity.

His presence restores a sense of balance and threat that Senegal have often lacked when transitioning against elite opponents.

There are minor fitness concerns within the squad, though none expected to derail selection. Assane Diao and Idrissa Gueye have been managed carefully, while Cherif Ndiaye’s availability has been uncertain, leaving selection decisions in attack finely balanced, with Nicolas Jackson expected to compete for the central role despite disciplinary setbacks in recent outings.

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Fueled by a 45-point performance from Jalen Brunson, the New York Knicks rallied to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 Saturday, capturing their first NBA championship in 53 years.

The Knicks won the best-of-seven championship series 4-1, denying Victor Wembanyama and his young Spurs teammates on their home floor to lift the trophy for the first time since 1973.

The Knicks, who recovered from 29 points down in game four in the biggest comeback win in Finals history, erased a double-digit deficit to win for the fourth time in the series.

Brunson scored eight of the Knicks’ meager 13 first-quarter points.

They trailed by 16 in the second quarter and were down by 10 early in the fourth, but Brunson wouldn’t let them lose.

“I’ve got no words,” Brunson said after setting a Knicks record for points in a Finals game, surpassing Willis Reed’s 38 in game three of the team’s 1970 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Knicks needed every bit of his contribution on a night when they connected on just 35.6% of their shots from the field.

“I don’t know what I’m feeling,” added Brunson, who was named Finals Most Valuable Player.

“I’m in awe. Whenever someone counts us out, we find a way to come back and do something about it.”

French star Wembanyama scored 19 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked five shots and rookie Dylan Harper scored 25 points off the bench for San Antonio.

But once again, the Spurs team that vanquished the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals were unable to hold off the crafty and determined Knicks.

“The margin of error is very thin,” Wembanyama said. “Our domination stints are absolute. We absolutely dominated for most of the series.

“But our errors, our mistakes, are punished so hard that we can’t have ups and downs like this.”

The win marked the final chapter of a dramatic playoff run that had captivated New York, with tens of thousands of long-suffering fans packing neighborhood watch parties throughout the Big Apple as the team inched towards a first title in more than half a century.

Within moments of clinching victory Saturday, the Empire State Building was lit up in the Knicks’ signature orange and blue colors, as raucous celebrations erupted outside the team’s Madison Square Garden home.

‘It’s painful’

U.S. President Donald Trump, who attended game three at Madison Square Garden, sent a message of congratulations.

“Congratulations to (owner) Jim Dolan and the New York Knicks!!!,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four – Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball.”

“Also, tonight, a superstar was born. His name is Jalen Brunson,” Trump said, hailing a litany of other Knicks players as well.

There was a boisterous blue and orange-clad contingent cheering the Knicks on at the Spurs’ Frost Bank Center as well, where the celebrities on the sidelines included not only well-known Knicks fans but also Britain’s Prince Harry, who sat with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Mikal Bridges scored 14 points and Josh Hart added 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored just two points before fouling out in the fourth quarter but pulled down 10 rebounds and came up with three steals and a blocked shot.

Fouled on a 3-pointer, Brunson made all three free-throws to put the Knicks up 86-85 with 3:40 left to play.

It was their first lead since the opening minutes and they would not trail again.

Game 4 hero OG Anunoby drove for a dunk that made it 88-85 and after the Spurs knotted it at 88-88 Brunson put New York back in front with a driving basket and the Knicks held on.

Wembanyama missed a last-gasp 3-pointer with two seconds left and when Anunoby corralled the rebound it was over.

“It’s painful,” Wembanyama said. “It’s painful. But I’m not running away from that. I’m using it to fuel me.”

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Spain arrived in Atlanta expecting to make a deep World Cup run, but faces a Monday opener against Cape Verde, whose players are embracing the excitement of representing their nation at the tournament for the first time.

The ⁠European champions open their Group H campaign against Cape Verde, with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia also in the section, in a fixture ​that looks on paper like a meeting of ​different football ⁠planets.

Luis de la Fuente’s side have become close to immovable over the last four years, going 30 matches unbeaten since a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia at Wembley in March 2024. Since then, Spain have recorded 23 wins and seven draws playing some of the most entertaining, attacking football seen in recent times.

The only wrinkle in that spotless-looking run was a 5-4 penalty defeat to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League final after a 2-2 draw, following extra time, in a match where Spain twice led ⁠but ⁠failed to retain the title they had won in 2023.

Cape Verde, however, are not merely in North America to provide the romance. The Blue Sharks were one of the surprise qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and, with fewer than 600,000 inhabitants, are the third-smallest country by population to reach the tournament after Iceland in 2018 and Curacao, also in 2026.

Their rise has been stitched together from an archipelago and a diaspora. ⁠That blend proved highly effective in qualifying, where Cape Verde won seven of their 10 games, lost only once and claimed a stunning home victory over Cameroon.

Their World Cup ​place may feel like a fairy tale, but Cape Verde have been building ​credibility for years. In 2013, they qualified for their first Africa Cup of Nations and reached the quarterfinals at the first attempt.

Spain, meanwhile, ⁠may ‌take a ‌cautious approach with Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, who ⁠are in the final stages of recovery ‌from hamstring injuries sustained in April. Both returned to training with their teammates Thursday, but ​De la Fuente may decide ⁠patience is wiser than risk.

For Spain, the target is ⁠a second World Cup title after their 2010 triumph in South Africa. ⁠For Cape Verde, Monday ​offers something rarer still: the first page of a story their supporters have waited generations to read.

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Australia showcased some disciplined defending and clinical finishing to secure a 2-0 victory over Türkiye at BC Place late Saturday, spoiling the Crescent-Stars’ return to world football’s biggest stage after a 24-year hiatus.

Pre-match attention had ⁠centred on Türkiye’s Arda Güler, ⁠but it was Australia’s youthful attack that made the difference.

Tony Popovic’s side set up to absorb pressure and break quickly, with Mohamed ​Toure – back from illness – leading the line alongside ​Nestory ⁠Irankunda.

Their pace and directness provided a constant outlet on the counter, unsettling a Turkish side that dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances.

That approach paid off in the 27th minute when Irankunda combined pace and control with a composed finish for his sixth international goal, underlining why the 20-year-old is considered one of Australia’s brightest talents.

“Proud to be here as head coach, to experience this, to put a smile on these people’s faces who have travelled so far to support ⁠us – ⁠I’m just happy for a wonderful young group of men,” Popovic said.

“You see the young boys combining to score a goal and can’t underestimate what this will do for their confidence and belief.”

Türkiye captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu had spoken confidently beforehand, describing his team as more talented and expecting them to control the game as they made their World Cup return after over two decades.

While his side did enjoy the ⁠bulk of possession and registered more shots on target, they were unable to translate that superiority into goals.

Australia were compact and disciplined throughout, closing off space and limiting ​Türkiye’s effectiveness in the final third.

Güler saw plenty of the ball but ​repeatedly ran into a wall of gold shirts, with Australia crowding him out whenever he tried to dictate play in dangerous ⁠areas.

Goalkeeper ‌Patrick Beach ‌justified his selection ahead of Mathew Ryan with a ⁠series of important saves, ensuring Australia’s defensive ‌effort held firm under sustained pressure.

‘Türkiye have time to recover’

Türkiye coach Vincenzo Montella rued his side’s slow start to the ​World Cup but said they still have time to recover ⁠from a humbling 2-0 ⁠defeat.

“We are extremely saddened,” the Italian said. “We know there is still time to recover in the group stage.”

“We know that in the beginning, the team ⁠has ⁠been a little bit slow,” he conceded.

Türkiye struggled to match Australia physically, with the Socceroos outmuscling their opponents in challenges and getting their heads to the ball first at crosses and corners.

“They’re very tall, so it’s very difficult sometimes,” said Montella.

Australia had few ⁠chances but were dangerous on the break as Türkiye scrambled to get players back from attacking ​positions, a cause for concern for Montella.

Türkiye are ​above their next opponents Paraguay on goal difference only and need to ⁠win ‌in San ‌Francisco on June 19 to ⁠keep their hopes of ‌reaching the knockout phase alive.

Socceroos put faith in youth

Popovic’s gamble on youth, meanwhile, paid off in the surprise win. He surprised many by playing Beach in place of regular captain Mat Ryan and leaving veteran midfielder Jackson Irvine on the bench.

The Socceroos boss’ ​faith in Beach was rewarded with an assured ​display ⁠from the Melbourne City keeper.

Irvine’s replacement, Paul Okon-Engstler, on the other hand, also impressed, playing in Irankunda to give Australia a lead they defended resolutely before Connor Metcalfe doubled it 15 minutes from time.

Popovic, however, dismissed any suggestion that picking Beach or Okon-Engstler was a left-field choice.

“They may be shocks for a lot of people, but not shocks within our playing group or staff because we’re all working together every ⁠day ⁠and we can see the quality of these young boys,” he told reporters.

“It’s a team selected to perform well. You never know the result, of course, we’re at a World Cup, but for me it’s the performance – it’s not the result … regardless of the result, it was the right decision.”

Popovic, who this week signed a contract extension to continue until the Asian Cup in 2027, also ⁠said the best was yet to come from his young charges.

“Their ceiling, they’re nowhere near it because they’re a young group with no experience at a World Cup, ​very limited experience playing for their national team,” he said.

“Their ceiling should ​come in four or eight years really, most of these boys.”

Popovic then turned his focus back to Australia’s next match against ⁠co-hosts ‌the United ‌States, a game in which a win could ⁠well secure top spot in Group D.

He ‌said he did not care if the Socceroos’ victory over Türkiye would prompt more ​respect from opponents.

“I don’t know, ⁠nor am I concerned about that,” he added.

“Maybe ⁠the perception changes slightly because we’ve beaten Türkiye, a big nation … but ⁠we’ve still got ​a lot of work to do and we’ve got to move on to the U.S. game.”

“It’ll ⁠be a special game. Being at a World Cup is enough, and ⁠playing the host ​nation adds to that,” Popovic added.

“We’ll recover well, prepare well, and respect a very good U.S. side,” he said.

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Wimbledon organisers have described the return of 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams to competition as “exciting,” amid growing speculation that the American could receive a wildcard entry for this year’s Championships.

The 44-year-old stepped back onto the court this week for the first time in nearly four years, teaming up with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in doubles at the WTA event at Queen’s Club.

Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, has not confirmed whether she will feature at the All England Club, though reports suggest she is in line for a wildcard, most likely in doubles.

“I guess what I can say is we can all see how much excitement Serena being back on a tennis court, and particularly back on a grass court, has created,” Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Club, said Thursday.

“And so one can only imagine what that would be like at the Championships. The wildcard committee will make its decisions next week, and we’ll be communicating those early next week.

“She has certainly created a fantastic buzz, and that is exciting for the sport.”

Williams won her first Wimbledon singles title in 2002 and her most recent in 2016. She has also won six women’s doubles titles at the grass-court major.

“And as and when at the wildcard meeting next week, I’m sure it won’t ignore her success at Wimbledon when making that decision,” All England Club chair Debbie Jevans said.

Wild cards are given to players whose rankings do not merit a place in the main draw and are often awarded to home players, top players returning from injury layoffs or those, such as Williams, with notable past success.

The announcement will be made Tuesday.

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