Getty Wataru Endo acknowledges fans following a Japan national team match. The longtime Samurai Blue captain announced his retirement from international football and withdrawal from the 2026 FIFA World Cup because of injury, ending his international career just days before Japan's tournament opener against the Netherlands in Dallas. Japan’s FIFA World Cup campaign suffered a stunning blow just days before kickoff. Captain Wataru Endo announced Thursday that he is withdrawing from the 2026 FIFA