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Wataru Endo and Marcos Senesi: World Cup Updates and Transfers

Friday, June 12, 2026
5 min read
Wataru Endo and Marcos Senesi: World Cup Updates and Transfers

Wataru Endo pulled out of the 2026 World Cup squad. That’s what he confirmed on X Thursday, June 11th. He cited injury.

Endo plays for Liverpool in the Premier League, and apparently, he tried everything to get back fit for the tournament but just couldn't make it work. It ended up being a withdrawal.

But it wasn't just about the game. The 33-year-old midfielder also announced he was retiring from international football altogether. He said he’d now just be supporting the Japan national team as a fan.

He posted something that got a lot of traction. Something kind of reflective, honestly.

“I stepped away from the World Cup squad because of my injury,” he wrote. “I did everything I possibly could up to this point, so there are no regrets. Of course, it’s frustrating not being there for the World Cup. But more than that, I’m proud of how we grew together since the Qatar tournament. Me as captain, leading us and turning ‘winning the World Cup’ into something we can just say was a given.”

He kept going. A bit of a shift in tone there. “The current team is truly wonderful. I believe they’ll overcome anything and show us sights we’ve never seen. So for this campaign, I’m retiring from the national team. From now on, I’ll be cheering for Japan as one of the fans.”

There was a real plea in it too. “The moment when the Japan national team wins the World Cup will surely come someday. We need to believe that and cheer them on together. Let’s unite Japan’s strength so that moment comes in this tournament everyone, let’s take on North and Central America together!! Everyone, give it everything you’ve got.”

Hours after that post went live, Liverpool jumped in too. They confirmed Endo had withdrawn from the squad because of injury. A simple message: “Wataru Endo has withdrawn from Japan’s World Cup squad due to injury. Keep your head up, Wata.” It felt… quick.

Meanwhile, completely separate story happening over there. Marcos Senesi got a huge call-up just 24 hours after things were decided for the other side.

He’s a new signing for Tottenham Hotspur, and suddenly he was in the Argentina World Cup squad. He replaced Leonardo Balerdi who got injured earlier this month. It felt like a dream realized fast.

Senesi had been doing well for Bournemouth too. A real pivot point there. He was a key part of them making club history; playing in European competition for the first time next season, that kind of momentum is hard to shake. Even though he didn't sign a new contract despite the promise of Europa League action, he opted for a free transfer to Spurs. That’s just how things move sometimes.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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Wataru Endo and Marcos Senesi: World Cup Updates and Transfers | Gree News