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Japan's Wataru Endo withdraws from World Cup 3 days before Netherlands clash
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- Japan's Wataru Endo withdraws from World Cup 3 days before Netherlands clash
Host nation Mexico kicked off the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday in dramatic fashion, taking out South Africa in front of an electric home crowd at Estadio Azteca.
Forward Julian Quinones opened the scoring early, putting one in the back of the net just nine minutes into the game, and veteran Raul Jimenez capped it off with a tearful, emotional first-ever World Cup goal in the 67th minute to secure the win.
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The chaotic win saw three players dealt red cards as El Tri walked away with a 2-0 victory.
But shortly after Mexico's win, attention quickly shifted to Japan in Group F, widely viewed as one of the tournament's dark horses.
Japan captain Wataru Endo announced that he had officially withdrawn from the World Cup. And at 33 years old, he's reportedly calling it on his international career entirely.
The Samurai Blue face off against the Netherlands in just three days from now at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
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Endo plays professionally for Liverpool , who just finished fifth in the Premier League at 17-9-12. Endo signed a four-year deal with the club in 2023, spending the previous four years as a key piece for Bundesliga's VfB Stuttgart .
At the international level, he's been Japan's captain since 2023 and has made 73 appearances since 2015.
However, he suffered a brutal foot injury in February during a Premier League match that eventually required surgery.
After months of rehab, things looked promising leading up to the World Cup. Endo even played the first half against Iceland in Japan's warm-up friendly on May 31, before officially being named to their World Cup squad.
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Now, less than 72 hours before their opener, he's removed himself from the tournament, and just like that, Japan's captain is gone.
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TOKYO, JAPAN – NOVEMBER 18: Wataru Endo of Japan is seen after the team's 3-0 victory in the international friendly match between Japan and Bolivia at National Stadium on November 18, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
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Replacing Endo will be Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Shuto Machino , who has five goals in 14 appearances for Japan.
Still, losing your veteran leader just days before the biggest game of the tournament is difficult for any team to manage, let alone one that, while viewed as a sneaky dark horse, was widely outside the list of World Cup favorites.
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The odds are now even further stacked against Japan, opening the door for the Flying Dutchmen to take full control of the group on Sunday.
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