Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo will miss out of Japan’s match against Paraguay or Brazil over the next week due to a new injury, the national team have confirmed.
It is unclear as when the unspecified injury was sustained after Endo played the final four minutes – plus extra-time – of Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend.
That was just the 32-year-old’s fourth substitute appearance in the Premier League this season and first outing since starting the Carabao Cup third round win over Southampton late last month.
Wataru Endo reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The extent of the injury is yet to be disclosed, though it is serious enough for Endo to miss Japan’s upcoming fixtures against Paraguay and Brazil during the international break.
A statement from the Japan Football Association (JFA) reads: “Japan National Team) will be without Wataru Endo (Liverpool FC) due to injury in the Kirin Challenge Cup 2025 (October 10th vs. Paraguay in Osaka, October 14th vs. Brazil in Tokyo).”
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot will hope Endo is not sidelined for too long as the injuries are beginning to pile up for his side.
The Reds are currently without some key players.
Giovanni Leoni is expected to be sidelined for up to a year having torn his ACL, while Alisson Becker is nursing a hamstring problem sustained in the 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray last week.
To make things worse, Ibrahima Konate was forced off against Chelsea after feeling “his quad a little bit” in the second half and it remains to be seen if he joins up with the France squad for their World Cup qualification double header.
