The Japan Football Association has announced that captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the country's World Cup squad. The midfielder is unable to participate after failing to recover from a foot injury ahead of Japan's game against the Netherlands.
Endo originally suffered the foot injury in February while playing for Liverpool during an injury-plagued season. He had previously made a return from surgery in Japan's send-off game against Iceland on May 31 in Tokyo.
Following his withdrawal, Borussia Moenchengladbach striker Shuto Machino has been named as his replacement.