The Japan national football team has suffered a major injury blow ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener against the high-profile Netherlands, scheduled for June 14. The Samurai Blue lost their captain, Wataru Endo, who has been ruled out of the competition due to injury. After his withdrawal from the World Cup was confirmed, Endo, in a shocking announcement, retired from international football. In an emotional revelation, the Liverpool star said that he was frustrated after not being able to recover before the World Cup.
Wataru Endo Injury: Japan Captain Withdraws From World Cup
The 33-year-old has been dealing with an injury that he sustained in a match for Liverpool. Endo underwent surgery and showed improvement, as Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu included him in the final 26-man roster. However, he is not fit enough to continue at the World Cup. Endo was part of the 2022 Qatar campaign, where Japan reached the Round of 16 after a dominant show in the group stage.
Endo Announces International Retirement
Endo, who has donned the Japan kit in 73 matches, shared in a social media post, “Since my injury, I’ve done everything I possibly could up to this point, so I have no regrets whatsoever.”
“With this campaign, I will be retiring from the national team. So from here on, I’ll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans,” he added.
Who replaces Endo in Japan World Cup squad 2026?
Japan were already dealing with the absence of several key players, including Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino, in this World Cup. Now, with Endo out of the contention, Moriyasu may find himself in a difficult situation. Borussia Moenchengladbach striker Shuto Machino has been called up to fill the vacant place of the captain.
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