Wataru Endo is a player loved by everyone at Liverpool.
The Japanese star is a fan favourite amongst the Anfield faithful due to his work ethic and the professionalism he has shown throughout his short time on Merseyside.
Arne Slot has praised Endo’s mentality this season but despite this, the Dutch coach has not trusted the 32-year-old to start games for the Premier League leaders.
The midfielder has received just 742 minutes for Liverpool this season and as a result, he would have been looking forward to going away to represent Japan.
The Hajime Moriyasu’s team were in action against Bahrain on Thursday and the contest has seen Endo become the first Liverpool player to achieve something special.
Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images
Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images
Wataru Endo and Japan qualify for 2026 World Cup
Japan play Bahrain and Saudi Arabia during the current international break and the first of those games took place on Thursday with Endo’s team winning the contest 2-0 thanks to goals from Daichi Kamada and Liverpool interest Takefua Kubo.
The result leaves Japan top of Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers with 19 points and as a result, Moriyasu’s team have become the first nation to qualify for the tournament next year.
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This means Endo has become the first Liverpool player to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as the Merseyside club do not have any representatives from the host nations, the United States, Mexico and Canada.
This is an incredible achievement for Endo who has played a major role in Japan’s success as his nation’s captain.
The 32-year-old has started in all but one of his country’s seven World Cup qualifying games and his performance against Bahrain on Thursday highlighted once again the role he will have when Japan compete in the biggest tournament in football in 2026.
Wataru Endo’s impressive performance for Japan against Bahrain
Endo has impressed in recent cameos for Liverpool and his displays have led to fans calling for the midfielder to be played more as it has become clear that Ryan Gravenberch is starting to become fatigued, which may have led to his new injury.
The Japanese star has played 521 minutes for his country in six appearances during the World Cup qualifiers, compared to the 742 minutes he has had at Liverpool throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
It was clear on Thursday that Endo has taken this form with him on international duty as the 32-year-old put in a dominant display which involved a 95% pass accuracy, 87 touches, nine recoveries, four clearances and six passes into the final third.
It is uncertain what the future holds for Endo at Liverpool as the midfielder will want to play more than what has been offered to him by Slot.
Should he decide to stay, the Dutch coach would be more than happy to keep him around due to his attitude, and maybe next season the Liverpool head coach may trust the Japanese star a little more.