National team captain Makoto Hasebe revealed Thursday that it was the team¡¯s staff ¡ª not the players ¡ª who were responsible for leaving the dressing room spotless following Japan¡¯s World Cup defeat to Belgium on Monday.

¡°The national team staff always make sure that the dressing room is totally clean at the end of each game,¡± said the 34-year-old, who announced his international retirement on Tuesday.

The Japan team won plaudits from around the world after Monday¡¯s game in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, when FIFA General Director Priscilla Janssens tweeted a picture of the team¡¯s dressing room following its 3-2 defeat to Belgium.

The picture showed spotless surfaces and no litter, with a thank-you note written in Russian even left for the hosts.