World Cup heartache for Liverpool's Wataru Endo as he announces withdrawal from tournament due to injury | OneFootball

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo has announced that he’s having to withdraw from the World Cup 2026 with Japan due to injury.

The 33-year-old also says he’s now retiring from international football as he prepares to cheer on his national team as a fan from now on.

As quoted by Liverpool’s official site, Endo made it clear that he did everything he could to be fit for the tournament, but he won’t be able to make it, with his international career now over.

“Since my injury, I’ve done everything I possibly could up to this point, so I have no regrets whatsoever,” Endo said.

“From here on, I’ll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans.”

Wataru Endo’s Japan career comes to an end

Endo will no doubt be disappointed not to be able to make it to this World Cup, but he can look back on a fine career with Japan.

The former Stuttgart man finished with 73 caps and four goals for his country, and he played for them at the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, having also been called up in 2018, albeit without playing at that edition of the tournament.

It must hurt, however, to come so close to one final World Cup and ultimately learn that you won’t be able to make it, or even to play one last time for your national team.

Endo has been struggling with a foot injury he sustained for Liverpool earlier this year.

Japan start their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands in their Group F clash on Sunday.