Wataru Endo Retires, Ko Itakura Leads Japan at the 2026 World Cup

Japan's national team has suffered a major blow ahead of their 2026 World Cup campaign. Samurai Blue captain and one of the squad's most experienced players, Wataru Endo, has been ruled out of the tournament due to Injury. Alongside this confirmation, Endo has also announced his retirement from International Football.

This decision marks the end of Endo's long tenure with the Japan national team, after establishing himself as a central figure in the Samurai Blue's progression on the global Football stage.

The 33-year-old midfielder stated he has accepted he will be unable to feature at the 2026 World Cup, and has chosen to conclude his international career.

"With this withdrawal from the World Cup, I am retiring from the national team. From now on I will support Japan as a fan," Endo posted on his official Instagram account.

Endo's absence from the 2026 World Cup hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada was also confirmed by Japan national team technical director Masakuni Yamamoto. He confirmed the Liverpool player has already departed the team's training camp to focus fully on his recovery process.

"Wataru has left the squad. Following the official report from the medical team, head coach Hajime Moriyasu made the final decision," Yamamoto stated, as quoted on the official FIFA website.

Endo's physical condition has been under close monitoring for several months. He underwent surgery on his left knee back in February, and only made his return to competitive play on 31 May.

Even after his return, his rehabilitation process was not fully completed, meaning his match fitness remained an ongoing concern for Japan's coaching and medical staff.

Endo had raised hopes when he took the field for Japan against Iceland during the Kirin Cup tournament. This fixture marked his first official appearance after completing his initial injury recovery period.

Head coach Hajime Moriyasu had still included Endo in Japan's final squad travelling to North America for the 2026 World Cup, with his experience, leadership and on-pitch quality viewed as critical to Japan's tournament ambitions.

However, follow-up medical assessments reached a different conclusion. Final health checks determined Endo would not be physically fit enough to compete across the month-long World Cup tournament schedule.

As a replacement, Moriyasu has called up 26 year old striker Shuto Machino from Borussia Mönchengladbach. Machino is already a familiar face within the Samurai Blue setup, having been part of Japan's squad at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Alongside losing a key on-pitch operator, Japan will now need to establish new leadership within the squad. The captain's armband has officially been handed to Ajax defender Ko Itakura, who will lead the Samurai Blue throughout the 2026 World Cup.

This captaincy change signals the start of a new era for the Japan national team, while formally closing the book on Endo's tenure leading the side.

On the international stage, Endo leaves behind a substantial legacy. He earned 73 senior caps for Japan, scoring 4 goals during his time with the Samurai Blue.

His contribution extends far beyond statistics alone. Endo was respected for his ability to control match balance, lead by example on the pitch, and mentor younger Japanese players breaking through at international level.

The 2025/2026 season with Liverpool had already proven difficult for Endo. Ongoing fitness issues limited him to just 12 appearances across all competitions, registering only one assist over the campaign.

Even so, his presence remained highly valued at both club and international level. For this reason, Endo's withdrawal represents a major loss for Japan as they prepare for fierce competition in 2026 World Cup Group F.