The captain of the Japan national football team, Wataru Endo, has announced his withdrawal from the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury. The Japan Football Association revealed that Endo would leave the team as he is unable to participate. At 33 years old, he plays for Liverpool. The opening match against the Netherlands is scheduled for the 14th, and this tournament was supposed to be his third consecutive World Cup appearance, but it has ended in disappointment for him.

Endo injured his left foot in February and underwent surgery with the World Cup in mind. However, he suffered another injury during his comeback match against Iceland on May 31. According to Masakuni Yamamoto, the technical committee chairman of the Japan Football Association, Endo left the team on the morning of the 11th without speaking to his teammates. He announced on his social media that he would retire from international duty after this tournament.

The new captain of the Japan national team will be Ko Itakura, who plays for Ajax. Shuto Machino from Borussia Mönchengladbach has been called up again to replace Endo. The Japan national team will aim for success in this tournament, carrying Endo's aspirations as they prepare for their next match.