Japan’s captain, Wataru Endo, will miss the upcoming World Cup due to an injury, prompting his immediate retirement from international football. The experienced midfielder announced his decision just three days before Japan’s first match against the Netherlands. Endo, who plays for Liverpool, was unable to recover sufficiently from a foot injury to participate in the tournament. Defender Ko Itakura will assume the captaincy in Endo’s absence. This unexpected development is a significant blow to the Japanese national team’s World Cup campaign. Endo’s retirement marks the end of a distinguished career for a key player in Japanese football. Further details regarding a replacement for Endo in the squad are expected to be announced soon.