Wataru Endo

Wataru Endo is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool—he remains active, not retired or deceased. He began his career at Shonan Bellmare before moving to Urawa Red Diamonds in 2016, where he won the league title and the 2017 AFC Champions League. Endo joined Liverpool in August 2023, and in the 2024–25 season, Endo made 20 appearances in the Premier League and was part of the Liverpool team that won the title that season. He has made over 70 appearances for the Japan national team, including in two FIFA World Cups and two AFC Asian Cups.

Japan captain Wataru Endo has been forced to withdraw from the 2026 World Cup squad due to a persistent injury, bringing a premature end to his international career. He suffered a serious foot injury during a Premier League fixture against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light back in February, and that blow effectively ended his domestic campaign as he spent the final months of the season watching from the sidelines while undergoing intensive rehabilitation. In the 2025/2026 Premier League season, Wataru Endo has recorded 0 goals, 1 assist, 171 minutes, an average FotMob rating of 7.02, 1 yellow card.