Virgil van Dijk will not face his Liverpool teammate Wataru Endo at the 2026 World Cup after the Japan midfielder was forced to withdraw from the squad due to a broken foot
08:56, 14 Jun 2026Updated 09:03, 14 Jun 2026
Virgil van Dijk will lead the Dutch at the World Cup
Virgil van Dijk will lead the Dutch at the World Cup(Image: Dean Mouhtaropoulos, Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk showcased his considerate character by passing the captain's armband to Wataru Endo during Liverpool's Japanese tour last year. Yet, the centre-back has been denied the opportunity to face his club colleague at this summer's World Cup.
Endo has been compelled to pull out of the Japan squad following a fractured foot and has subsequently announced his retirement from international football. He said: "Since my injury, I've done everything I possibly could up to this point, so I have no regrets whatsoever. From here on, I'll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans."
The Netherlands, led by Van Dijk, meet Japan in both countries' opening World Cup encounter this weekend. This follows a year after the Dutch skipper showed immense regard for his Japanese team-mate during a pre-season trip to Endo's home country.
The Reds travelled to Japan to face Yokohama F. Marinos and secured a 3-1 win.
Among the most memorable scenes from the fixture was Endo taking to the field as Van Dijk's replacement in the second period and receiving the captain's armband.
The midfielder revealed he had previously attended a trial with Yokohama as a youngster but failed to secure a deal, making it an emotional homecoming as he skippered his Liverpool team to victory.
The 33-year-old said at the time: "I supported this club actually, and I went to [a] trial, but I couldn't join this club. Now I came back here as a player of (Liverpool). It was a dream-come-true moment."
Regarding Van Dijk's thoughtful gesture, Endo commented: "I think it was a great gesture. I think all Japanese people maybe wanted me to be captain."
Van Dijk will be deeply disappointed not to face Endo on Sunday afternoon as the Netherlands take on Japan in a Group F fixture. Endo sustained a broken left foot and a ruptured ligament against Sunderland in February and failed to feature again throughout the run-in.
Virgil van Dijk gives the armband to Wataru Endo
Endo was given a major honour by Van Dijk(Image: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
Endo was named in Japan's World Cup squad and clocked 45 minutes in a friendly against Iceland. However, he was substituted due to persistent pain and has subsequently been replaced by Borussia Mönchengladbach's Shuto Machino.
Liverpool confirmed Endo's withdrawal with the following statement: "Wataru Endo has withdrawn from Japan's World Cup squad due to injury, and announced his retirement from international football. Keep your head up, Wata."
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Endo has accumulated 73 caps for Japan since making his international debut in 2015 and caught Liverpool's eye at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He secured his Anfield switch just over six months after the prestigious tournament and has gone on to lift both the Premier League and Carabao Cup during his time in England.
With merely a year left on his Liverpool deal, the 33-year-old has become a firm favourite amongst the Anfield faithful, owing to his remarkable versatility to operate in virtually any position across the pitch.