Overview
- Japan announced Thursday that captain Wataru Endo has been withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup squad and that he has retired from international football.
- Endo sustained a season‑ending foot/ankle injury in February while playing for Liverpool, underwent surgery, and felt discomfort after playing 45 minutes in a May 31 friendly before a recovery setback in camp.
- Coach Hajime Moriyasu called up Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Shuto Machino as Endo’s replacement, which is not a like‑for‑like swap and requires tactical adjustment in Japan’s midfield setup.
- Takumi Minamino, who missed selection with an ACL tear in December 2025, was secured to travel with the squad in a formal non‑playing mentor role to provide experience and dressing‑room support.
- With the Netherlands match three days away, Japan must quickly reassign the captaincy and reshape midfield roles and cohesion, and observers should watch who receives the armband and how Moriyasu alters his starting XI.