Japan’s Wataru Endo retires due to injury before World Cup 2026

Japan’s captain Wataru Endo has announced his retirement from international football after being ruled out of the World Cup due to a foot injury. The 33-year-old midfielder, who plays for Liverpool, was unable to recover in time for Japan’s opening match against the Netherlands. Endo expressed frustration over his situation but remains optimistic about Japan’s future in the tournament, where they will compete against the Netherlands, Tunisia, and Sweden in Group F. He retires with 73 caps and four goals for the national team.

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