Keisuke Honda announced his retirement from international football following Japan's elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Belgium on Monday night.
The 32-year-old came off the bench late in the last-16 clash with Roberto Martinez's side, but was unable to prevent his side from slipping to an agonising 3-2 loss.
"Today we showed how we can proceed as Japanese football," the former AC Milan midfielder told reporters after the match.
"I might have finished my career for the national team, but I'm happy because we have many young players following us, and I think that they will make new history for Japanese football."
Japan held a two-goal lead in the 52nd minute following strikes from Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui, but Jan Vertonghen and Marouane Fellaini levelled the scores before Nacer Chadli’s injury time goal secured a dramatic win for Belgium.
"This is the last World Cup for me," Honda added. "That’s the reality. To be perfectly honest, I wanted to take everyone to the next round but I couldn’t get the job done. I did everything I could. I did the best I could.
"Belgium deserved the win, but we also played as well as we possibly could. I just want to thank my team mates."
Honda, who scored 37 times in 98 appearances for his country, was used as an impact player off the bench in his third World Cup and had a couple of chances to grab a winner for Japan before the dramatic denouement.
"We had talked about the score being even if and when I entered the game, but I couldn't come through," said Honda.
"I've always said if you're in this competition you should be in to win it, and I hope the younger generation of players carry on that spirit."
Poland's coach to step down after World Cup humiliation
Poland's coach Adam Nawalka will step down at the end of July after his team crashed out of the group stage of the 2018 World Cup tournament.
"We have decided that Adam Nawalka will remain Poland's team coach until July 30 and after that day we will be looking for a new coach. We will try to build a national team in a new way," the head of the Polish Football Association, Zbigniew Boniek, said during a joint news conference with Nawalka.
The 60-year-old, whose contract was expiring after the World Cup anyway, and the Polish FA decided not to extend it, Boniek said.
"Of course I feel responsible that we did not meet expectations, we did not meet our plans, ambitions, our fans' expectations ... that we disappointed and I take full responsibility for that ...," said Nawalka.
Poland lost their two opening games and were the first European side to be knocked out of the competition, while Nawalka's tactics and choice of players were widely questioned. A win in the third and final group match against Japan was not enough to change the outcome.
Danish FA reports death threats against striker to police
The Danish Football Association said on Tuesday it has reported death threats made against striker Nicolai Jorgensen to the police, after he endured a barrage of online abuse for missing a World Cup penalty against Croatia.
Jorgensen's miss in Sunday's penalty shootout led to Denmark's elimination from the tournament following a 1-1 stalemate at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
"Stop. Our society must never accept death threats - neither against World Cup stars, politicians or others. It is completely unacceptable and indecent," the Danish FA said in a statement on Twitter. "We are reporting the case to the police to end this madness."
Three Danes missed from the spot as Croatia won the shootout 3-2 but Jorgensen was the last to do so, drawing threats and abusive language on his Instagram and Facebook profiles. However, fans responded with a strong show of support for the player.