Japan Captain Wataru Endo Withdraws from World Cup Due to Injury, Announces International Retirement
Japan captain and Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to a foot injury and simultaneously announced his retirement from international football, three days before Japan's opener against the Netherlands. The 33-year-old suffered a season-ending foot injury in February, underwent surgery, and despite returning for a warm-up friendly against Iceland on May 31, was unable to regain full fitness at Japan's Nashville training camp. The withdrawal is a significant blow to Japan, who are considered a dark-horse contender in Group F, and comes amid a broader injury crisis that has already cost the squad Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma and Monaco's Takumi Minamino.
Wataru Endo, Japan's captain since the 2022 Qatar World Cup, has been ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America after failing to recover from a broken left foot sustained in a Liverpool match against Sunderland in February. Despite undergoing surgery and completing months of rehabilitation, Endo played only the first half of a 1-0 friendly win over Iceland on May 31 before continuing to experience discomfort at Japan's pre-tournament camp in Mexico, where he did not participate in full training sessions. After joining the squad at their World Cup base in Nashville, he was still unable to reach match fitness and was officially withdrawn on June 11. He will be replaced in the squad by Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Shuto Machino. In a social media post, Endo expressed frustration at missing the tournament but said he had no regrets, adding that he was proud of the team's growth and was simultaneously announcing his international retirement after 73 caps and four goals since his debut in 2015. Defender Ko Itakura will assume the captaincy, and Japan — placed in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Sweden, and Tunisia — open their campaign on June 14 against the Dutch at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
What's missing
No source specifies whether Endo's club contract with Liverpool — signed in 2023 for four years — will be affected by his international retirement or ongoing injury status heading into the next club season.
How coverage differed
Most outlets reported the facts neutrally and with similar framing; Newsweek placed the story in a broader World Cup narrative context, leading with Mexico's opening match and characterizing Endo's withdrawal as further stacking the odds against Japan, lending a slightly more dramatic, sports-entertainment tone compared to the straightforward news reporting of outlets like Channel NewsAsia and Al Jazeera.
What different sources said
- The Liverpool OffsideCenter
Breaking: Wataru Endo Withdraws from World Cup
- Channel NewsAsiaCenter
Japan captain Endo withdraws from World Cup due to injury, retires from internationals
- The Japan TimesCenter
Japan captain Wataru Endo pulls out of World Cup due to injury and retires from national team
- NewsweekCenter
Japan's Wataru Endo Withdraws From World Cup 3 Days Before Netherlands Clash
- Al JazeeraLeft
Japan’s Wataru Endo retires after injury ends World Cup 2026 dream
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