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Japan Captain Endo Retires After World Cup Injury Blow
12 Jun
Summary
- Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the World Cup squad due to injury.
- The midfielder has also announced his retirement from international football.
- Shuto Machino will replace Endo in the Japan squad for the tournament.

Japan captain Wataru Endo will not participate in the upcoming World Cup finals after being withdrawn from the squad due to an injury. The 33-year-old midfielder also declared his retirement from international football, marking the end of his national team career. Endo expressed that he had done everything possible to recover and has no regrets, though he is frustrated not to be able to compete. He stated his pride in the team's progress since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and will now support the Samurai Blue as a fan. Borussia Moenchengladbach striker Shuto Machino has been selected to replace Endo in Japan's World Cup squad. Japan is set to begin their eighth World Cup appearance against the Netherlands on June 14.