Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and announced his retirement from international football after failing to recover from a persistent foot injury, bringing an emotional end to an 11-year international career.The Liverpool midfielder had been engaged in a race against time to prove his fitness for the tournament after suffering a serious foot injury during a Premier League match against Sunderland in February. The setback effectively ended his domestic season, forcing him to spend the final months of the campaign on the sidelines undergoing rehabilitation while hoping to make one final appearance for his country on football’s biggest stage.There was optimism when Endo was included in Japan’s preliminary World Cup plans. He even returned to Liverpool’s matchday squad as an unused substitute during the club’s 1-1 draw with Brentford on the final day of the Premier League season. However, after linking up with the national team in Nashville, Tennessee, it became clear that the 33-year-old had not recovered sufficiently to compete at the level required for a World Cup campaign.The decision means Endo’s international career ends before the tournament begins, despite initially being named in Japan’s 26-man squad.
Endo announces international retirement
Alongside confirming his withdrawal from the World Cup squad, Endo revealed that he is stepping away from international football entirely.The midfielder, who became one of the defining figures of Japan’s modern era and served as captain in recent years, issued an emotional statement reflecting on both his disappointment and his pride in what the team has achieved.“As announced, I will be stepping away from the World Cup squad. Since my injury, I’ve done everything I possibly could up to this point, so I have no regrets whatsoever.“Of course, there’s frustration at not being able to participate in this World Cup, but more than that, I’m proud of how we’ve grown together since the Qatar World Cup – me as captain, leading this team and turning our goal of ‘winning the World Cup’ into something we can say as a matter of course.”Rather than focusing on the personal heartbreak of missing the tournament, Endo used his farewell message to back the next generation of Japanese players and urge supporters to continue believing that Japan can one day become world champions.“The current team is truly a wonderful team. I believe they will overcome any adversity and show us sights we’ve never seen before.“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. The moment when the Japan national team wins the World Cup will surely come someday.“Let’s believe in that and cheer them on together. And let’s unite Japan’s strength as one so that moment comes in this tournament – everyone, let’s take on the North and Central America World Cup together!!”He concluded with a final rallying cry for his teammates:“Everyone, give it everything you’ve got.”
An international career spanning two World Cups
Endo’s retirement brings the curtain down on a national-team career that began in 2015 and ultimately produced 73 appearances and four goals for Japan.He was first selected for a World Cup squad in Russia in 2018, although he did not feature on the pitch during that tournament. His first World Cup appearances came four years later in Qatar, where he established himself as one of the key figures in Hajime Moriyasu’s side during Japan’s memorable run to the Round of 16.By the time the 2026 tournament arrived, Endo had become captain, one of the team’s senior leaders and an important symbol of the squad’s growing ambition on the global stage.
Injury ends final World Cup dream
The timing of the injury makes the outcome particularly painful for Endo. The Liverpool midfielder underwent surgery after sustaining the foot injury against Sunderland in February, and much of the remainder of his season was devoted to recovery work in an effort to return before the World Cup.
Japan poses for a team photo ahead of the friendly soccer international between Japan and Iceland in Tokyo, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
His final appearance for Japan came in their last pre-tournament friendly, a 1-0 victory over Iceland in Tokyo on May 31. Koki Ogawa scored the only goal of the game with an 87th-minute header, securing a winning send-off before the squad departed for North America.That match has now become the final chapter of Endo’s international career.
Japan appoint new captain and replacement
Japan have already moved to fill the void left by their captain’s departure. Ajax defender Ko Itakura will inherit the captain’s armband for the World Cup campaign, while Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Shuto Machino has been drafted into the squad as Endo’s replacement.Moriyasu’s side now head into the tournament without one of their most experienced leaders as they prepare for a challenging Group F campaign.Japan head into their World Cup campaign with encouraging momentum, beginning their Group stage against the Netherlands in Dallas on June 14, followed by fixtures against Tunisia on June 21 and Sweden on June 26. The build-up has been equally positive, with Japan’s men’s national team closing their preparations with a 1-0 win over Iceland on May 31, 2026. That result capped a strong set of friendlies, including impressive 1-0 victories over England at Wembley on April 1 and Scotland on March 29.While Endo will no longer be on the pitch, he made clear in his farewell message that he intends to follow every step of the journey from afar, this time not as captain, but as a supporter hoping to see Japan achieve the dream he spent years pursuing.