One of Leeds United’s heartbroken World Cup stars has issued a defiant message after a painful personal and team exit from the summer’s major tournament.

Ao Tanaka is no stranger to showing raw emotion on a football pitch. In the wake of a 1-1 draw at Luton Town towards the end of Leeds’ title-winning Championship season Tanaka was visibly overwhelmed by the frustration vented by the away end and left in tears. The Japan international is clearly an emotional character. He has been brutally self critical at times on social media and in a pre-World Cup interview admitted that he’d considered departing Elland Road due to a spell on the sidelines last season.

But even with that context, the way Tanaka wore his pain and disappointment following Japan’s last-32 defeat by Brazil was a stark sight. The 27-year-old had to be consoled by team-mates and Manchester United attacker Matheus Cunha, who put rivalry aside to embrace Tanaka. The two teams were locked at 1-1 in the knockout game in Houston, Texas, when Tanaka initially won the ball on the edge of his own area from Endrick. But he was quickly dispossessed and in the space of a couple of seconds the ball was in the back of Japan’s net. Tanaka bent double in disappointment and emotion got the best of him at full-time.

Posting on Instagram, the Leeds United man was once again self critical and taken responsibility for the error that led to Brazil’s winner. He is defiant, however. “I will face it all head-on,” he said. “It was simply that my own abilities weren't good enough. I will rise again. I am truly grateful to my respected teammates and staff, and to everyone who supported me at all times.”

Fellow countrymen Takumi Minamino and Ko Itakura responded to the post with the words: “Just do it.” Hidemasa Morita of Sporting CP replied with an emoji of a phoenix. Tanaka has previously referred to himself as thus when discussing his return from last season’s brief spell in the wilderness to play a part in the final third of Leeds’ season. Leeds players, including Jayden Bogle, Willy Gnonto and Anton Stach have liked their team-mates’ post, along with the recently departed Pascal Struijk and Illan Meslier.