Wataru Endo, the captain of the Japan national football team, has been ruled out of the upcoming World Cup due to injury, announcing his retirement from international football just three days before Japan’s opening match against the Netherlands.
The Liverpool midfielder was unable to recover from a persistent foot injury sustained earlier this year, forcing him to withdraw from the tournament. In response, Japan called up Shuto Machino of Borussia Monchengladbach as his replacement in the squad.
Endo, 33, expressed his disappointment on social media, describing his frustration at missing out on the tournament. Despite this setback, he voiced his confidence in Japan’s chances within Group F, where they are set to face the Netherlands, Tunisia, and Sweden.
End of an International Era
On the platform X, Endo wrote, “There will definitely come a time in the future when Japan win the World Cup, so let’s believe in that and support the team.” He added a hopeful message for the current competition: “Let’s bring the strength of Japan together so that that moment can happen at this tournament in North America.”
Confirming his decision to step away from international duty, Endo stated, “I have decided to retire from the national team. From now on, I will be supporting Japan as just another fan.”
The injury that curtailed Endo’s World Cup participation initially occurred during a match between Liverpool and Sunderland in February, ending his season prematurely. However, he made a brief return for Japan in a friendly victory over Iceland on May 31 in Tokyo, though he was substituted at halftime due to discomfort.
During the team’s pre-World Cup training camp in Mexico, Endo did not participate fully, missing any complete training sessions as he continued to struggle with his foot. Upon relocating to Japan’s World Cup base in Nashville, he resumed training but was unable to regain the necessary fitness and form to compete at the tournament.