Japan blow after Endo ruled out with injury

Japan have suffered a significant setback with the loss of captain Wataru Endo to injury, three days before their FIFA World Cup 2026™ opening fixture against the Netherlands.

National team director Masakuni Yamamoto confirmed on Thursday that Endo, who captained the Samurai Blue throughout qualifying, will miss the finals, having failed to recover from a foot injury that required surgery in late February.

The 33-year-old Liverpool midfielder is the anchor in the Japan engine room and coach Hajime Moriyasu had previously indicated that he would be fit in time for the finals.

Endo, capped 73 times by Japan, played his first game since 11 February when appearing in the first half of the team's 1-0 friendly win over Iceland in their Tokyo send-off on 31 May. He had been training separately from the rest of the Japan squad at their base in Nashville, making a partial return to full training on Wednesday prior to the announcement.

He is now officially retired from international football.

"From the moment I got injured up until now, I have done everything I possibly could, so I have no regrets," Endo said in a statement. "Of course there is frustration at not being able to play in this World Cup, but more than that, I am proud that since the Qatar World Cup I have led this team as captain and that we have grown together into a group that can speak of 'winning the World Cup' as a matter of course. "The team we have now is a truly outstanding one. I believe they will overcome any adversity and show us a view we have never seen before."

Borussia Monchengladbach forward Shuto Machino has been called up as Endo's replacement, while centre-back Ko Itakura has been confirmed as replacement captain. The defender, also based at Gladbach, wore the armband in the Kirin Challenge Cup match against Colombia in March.

Japan are in Group F and will open their campaign against the Netherlands in Dallas on 14 June.