Japan captain Wataru Endo withdraws from World Cup squad, retires

Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup squad due to a lingering foot injury and announced his retirement from international football. The 33-year-old Liverpool midfielder failed to recover from an injury suffered in February. He was replaced by Borussia Mönchengladbach's Shuto Machino. Endo expressed pride in the team's growth and urged fans to support them.