Emperor Naruhito, King Willem-Alexander witness Japan-Netherlands FIFA World Cup stalemate
Dallas, June 15
Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako joined King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands in the stands as Daichi Kamada's late equaliser secured Japan a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Dutch in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F opener on Sunday.
The official X account of the Royal House of the Netherlands shared photographs of the four royals together and wrote, "Sport brings people together! King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watch together as the Oranje Leeuwen and the Samurai Blue face off in Dallas for their first group stage match of the FIFA World Cup."
The high-profile attendance added to the occasion as Japan staged a late comeback to secure a valuable point against one of Europe's strongest sides.
After a tightly contested first half ended goalless, the Netherlands broke the deadlock six minutes after the restart. A delivery from Ryan Gravenberch found captain Virgil van Dijk, who finished clinically to put the Dutch ahead in the 51st minute.
Japan responded swiftly. In the 57th minute, Takefusa Kubo picked out Shunsuke Nakamura, who fired past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen at the near post to restore parity and ignite the contest.
The Dutch regained control seven minutes later when Crysencio Summerville collected possession on the right flank and unleashed a powerful strike into the bottom corner to make it 2-1. Summerville had earlier been booked but quickly turned from villain to hero with his decisive contribution.
The Netherlands appeared set to claim all three points as they continued to enjoy the majority of possession, finishing with nearly 60 per cent of the ball and six shots on target. However, Japan produced one final twist.
With two minutes of normal time remaining, Koki Ogawa rose to meet a corner before a deflection helped the ball fall kindly for Daichi Kamada, who steered it into the net to level the scores at 2-2.
Despite six minutes of added time, neither side could find a winner, leaving Japan and the Netherlands with one point each from their opening Group F fixture.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Wonderful to see Emperor Naruhito and King Willem-Alexander together for such an event. Sport truly unites people! But honestly, the Dutch defense should have held on. Van Dijk's goal was brilliant though. Japan's resilience is something we can learn from in our cricket-obsessed nation. 🇮🇳⚽
Why isn't India developing football like this? Japan shows what proper investment in grassroots can achieve. Their technical ability and never-say-die attitude is inspiring. Meanwhile, our cricket-crazy nation looks at football as an afterthought. Kamada, Kubo, Nakamura - these are world-class players. 🏆
The presence of four royal family members shows how big the World Cup is. I'm just disappointed India isn't there yet. Maybe one day we'll see our PM cheering in the stands. Japan's fighting spirit is incredible - they never give up even against top European sides. 💪
Great game! But I think the Dutch over-relied on Van Dijk. Summerville's goal was stunning, but their defense crumbled at the end. Japan deserved the draw. As an Indian, I'm glad to see Asian football rise. We need to focus more on football development if we want to reach this level. 🇯🇵🇳🇱
This is what makes the World Cup magical - the mix of royalty, passion, and last-minute drama! I just wish India had more representation in world football. Japan's system is something we can emulate. Also, love how they showed respect to the Dutch royal family. True sportsmanship! 🌍⚽
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.