"I have decided to end the chapter of my career with the national team with this tournament," Hasebe wrote on his Instagram account.

The 34-year-old defensive midfielder's departure from the Blue Samurai could mean a changing of the guard for the team, with former AC Milan striker Keisuke Honda, 32, also saying he plans to retire from the national squad.

Hasebe, who won the German Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt last season, has been on the national team for more than 12 years under five coaches.

The Blue Samurai came agonisingly close to creating a major upset against Belgium, taking a two-goal lead only to be narrowly defeated 3-2 in the final moments of the match.

Shaikh Salman sent his congratulations saying: “The world has witnessed some world-class performances by Asian teams which reinforces our ambitions through our Vision and Mission.

“Japan showed great quality and character to battle bravely with one of the best teams in the tournament. Their success exemplifies the great progress of Asian teams to stand proud with the world’s elite. I am confident their performance will serve as an inspiration to everyone in the Continent.”

Hasebe, 34, has skippered Japan since the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where Takeshi Okada’s side went out in the Round of 16 on penalties to Paraguay following a 0-0 draw in 120 minutes.

On Monday, Japan again failed to clear the last 16 hurdle against Belgium, who came back from two goals down midway through the second half to win 3-2, eliminating Akira Nishino’s charges from the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Hasebe, though, said Japan’s performance on Monday against one of the tournament favorites spoke volumes about the strides his team has taken since he first wore the armband eight years ago.

The four-time AFC Asian Cup winners threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 in stoppage time as the Japanese missed out once more on a place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup.

Nacer Chadli’s goal on the break deep into added time handed Belgium the win and ensured Japan’s run at Russia 2018 ended in the last 16, just as it did in 2002 and 2010.

Honda came off the bench with the scores level at 2-2 as Japan threw away a two-goal advantage before Nacer Chadli’s last-gasp strike took Roberto Martinez’s side into the quarter-finals and leave the Japanese frustrated yet again.

This was the third time Japan have exited the competition at the Round of 16 having lost to Turkey in 2002 and Paraguay in South Africa in 2010, a game in which Honda played as the Samurai Blue were knocked out in a penalty shootout.

Goals from Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui handed Japan a 2-0 lead in the second half at Rostov Arena but Belgium hit back with three goals, including a 94th-minute winner that knocked out the last Asian side remaining at this FIFA World Cup.

Although Japan failed to get past the last 16 once again – they also came up short in 2002 and 2010 – Tashima gushed with praise for Akira Nishino’s men, who had the Belgians sweating and were on the cusp of reaching their nation’s first-ever FIFA World Cup quarter-final.

A disciplined tactical performance against a star-studded Belgium side saw Akira Nishino’s Japan hold their opponents to a goalless draw at the interval before striking twice within seven minutes of the restart through Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui.

Belgium’s Roberto Martinez threw on Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli with 25 minutes to go and both substitutes got on the scoresheet in the final quarter of an hour after Jan Vertonghen had halved the deficit with a fluke header. Chadli’s winner at the death denied the Samurai Blue the prospect of a first-ever World Cup quarter-final appearance.