Wataru Endo has announced his retirement from international football after a foot injury forced him out of Japan's squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The Liverpool midfielder, 33, has been sidelined since February following surgery on that foot. He made a brief comeback in the first half of Japan's friendly against Iceland in late May, but has since been unable to complete his recovery in time for the tournament.
Endo leaves international football with an impressive record — four goals across 73 appearances for Japan since his debut in 2015. Borussia Monchengladbach's Shuto Machino has been called up as his replacement in the squad.
