Wataru Endo Withdraws From Japan's World Cup Squad With Ankle Injury

Japan's World Cup campaign loses its captain before it begins. As of June 12, 2026, Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the Samurai Blue's 26-player squad due to a persistent ankle injury . He will not travel with the team. He has also announced his retirement from international football, ending his career at 73 caps .

The timing is brutal (as of June 12, 2026). Japan opens Group F against the Netherlands on June 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington . That is two days away.

What happened

Endo, 33, suffered ligament damage in his ankle back in February during a Premier League match against Sunderland (as of June 12, 2026). He only returned to Liverpool's bench for their final game of the season. He reported to Japan's pre-tournament camp, but the ankle failed to improve enough over the first two weeks of preparation .

He was Japan's most-used central midfielder over the last 12 months: 1,042 national-team minutes across 13 appearances . That is more than any other midfielder in the squad. The void is real (as of June 12, 2026).

Endo posted on social media after the decision. He said he had done everything he possibly could since the injury and that he has no regrets . He also expressed belief that the current team will overcome any adversity and show Japan sights they have never seen before .

New captain, new call-up

Ko Itakura takes over the armband . The Ajax centre-back has logged 1,041 national-team minutes in the last 12 months across 13 appearances. He is a defensive leader, not a midfield one. That shift in leadership identity — from engine room to back line — says something about where this team's spine now sits (as of June 12, 2026).

Shuto Machino of Borussia Mönchengladbach has been called up as Endo's replacement in the 26-man squad . Machino is a forward, not a defensive midfielder. He adds attacking depth but does nothing to fill the specific role Endo occupied — the screen in front of the back four, the tempo-setter, the player who made the midfield tick.

That means coach H. Moriyasu has a tactical puzzle. His remaining midfield options with the most national-team minutes:

Doan and Kamada are experienced enough. Tanaka has Premier League minutes at Leeds. But none of them are natural like-for-like replacements for a holding midfielder with Endo's profile. Moriyasu will likely need to adjust his shape or ask one of these players to sit deeper than they are accustomed to.

The full squad

Japan's 26 players for the 2026 World Cup, announced May 15 :

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

All 12-month stats reflect the trailing window through June 12, 2026.

Recent form — 9 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss

The results over the last 10 matches paint a picture of a team that was finding its rhythm under Moriyasu :

Nine wins, two draws, one loss. 22 goals scored, 7 conceded. The away wins over England and Scotland in March stand out. The 3-2 over Brazil at home is the headline result. The only defeat came against the USA (as of June 12, 2026).

Endo started in many of those matches. The midfield balance that produced these results will need rebuilding on the fly.

Group F context

Japan's World Cup schedule :

The Netherlands first is the hardest possible draw for a matchday-one opener. Losing Endo's midfield presence before that fixture hurts. Itakura and the defensive unit will need to absorb more without the shield they are used to.

Tunisia on matchday two and Sweden on matchday three are both winnable. Japan's recent form suggests a team capable of getting out of this group. But the margin for error just shrank.

What Ueda and Kubo carry now

With the midfield unsettled, Japan's attacking principals become even more important. Ayase Ueda has been prolific: 10 national-team goals and 3 assists in 14 appearances over the last 12 months. At club level with Feyenoord, he scored 26 goals in 41 appearances. He is the clear number nine (as of June 12, 2026).

Takefusa Kubo brings creation. His 10 assists in 15 national-team appearances over the trailing 12 months lead the squad. Junya Ito adds another 13 assists in 13 national-team appearances from the wing. That assist volume is unusual for a squad at this level (as of June 12, 2026).

The goals and the creativity are there. The question is who controls the middle third.

When does Japan play its first World Cup 2026 match?

Japan's opening match is on June 14 against the Netherlands at AT&T Stadium in Arlington . It is the first Group F fixture. Japan then plays Tunisia on June 20 at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, and Sweden on June 25 back in Arlington .

Who replaces Wataru Endo as Japan captain?

Ko Itakura has been named as the new captain . The Ajax centre-back has 1,041 national-team minutes across 13 appearances in the last 12 months. He brings defensive leadership but the captaincy moves from midfield to the back line for the first time under Moriyasu (as of June 12, 2026).

Why is Wataru Endo out of the World Cup?

Endo suffered ligament damage in his ankle in February during a Premier League match and never fully recovered . He joined Japan's camp but the injury did not improve enough over two weeks of preparation. He withdrew from the squad and simultaneously announced his retirement from international football at 73 caps (as of June 12, 2026).

Who was called up to replace Endo in the squad?

Shuto Machino of Borussia Mönchengladbach was called up as Endo's replacement . Machino is a forward, not a midfielder, so the call-up addresses squad depth rather than a direct positional replacement for Endo's holding role.

How does Endo's absence affect Japan's World Cup chances?

Endo logged more national-team minutes than any other midfielder in the squad over the last 12 months — 1,042 across 13 appearances . Japan's remaining midfield options include Ritsu Doan, Daichi Kamada, and Ao Tanaka, but none are natural defensive midfielders. Coach Moriyasu may need to adjust his tactical shape for the Netherlands opener, the most demanding fixture in Group F (as of June 12, 2026).

See the projected squad
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