Their journey in the tournament might be over, but Japan's footballers have been described as the "true champions of the World Cup".
Japan were involved in one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament when they played Belgium in Rostov on Monday night. But while the Samurai Blue looked on their way to a famous victory when they took a two goal lead, Belgium made a remarkable comeback by equalising before Nacer Chadli netted the winning third goal in the 94th minute.
Despite Japan's agony, their actions following the game, along with their impressive performance on the pitch, have earned the respect of football fans around the world.
An image of the team's locker room, which was first was shared by a FIFA co-ordinator, showed their changing room looking immaculate with a "thank you" note written in Russian left on top of the table. And Twitter has been won over.
"You exemplify the very best of international competition!" one fan commented. "Great ambassadors, both their team and spectators," said another.
There were more moving images from inside the stadium. After Japan's supporters stayed to tidy up the Mordovia Arena in Saransk after their win against Colombia in the early stages of the competition, tearful fans continued the tradition in Russia. Disappointed faces were pictured as they collected rubbish from the stands in the moments after they watched the crushing loss. The perfect example of team spirit.
