Japanese captain Wataru Endo withdrew from the World Cup due to injury Thursday and announced his retirement from international competition.

The 33-year-old Liverpool midfielder has been dealing with an ankle injury that required surgery in February. He was hoping to be fit for the competition in North America, but experienced discomfort and played only the first half in a May 31 tune-up friendly against Iceland.

The news comes just three days before Japan open Group F play against Netherlands on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

Endo has scored four goals in 73 caps for Japan since his 2015 debut with the national team. He helped the team reach the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“As announced, I will be stepping away from the World Cup squad,” Endo wrote on social media.

“Of course, there’s frustration at not being able to participate in this World Cup, but more than that, I’m proud of how we’ve grown together since the Qatar World Cup — me as captain, leading this team and turning our goal of ‘winning the World Cup’ into something we can say as a matter of course.

“The current team is truly a wonderful team. I believe they will overcome any adversity and show us sights we’ve never seen before.

“With this campaign, I will be retiring from the national team. So from here on, I’ll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans. The moment when the Japan national team wins the World Cup will surely come some day. Let’s believe in that and cheer them on together.

“And let’s unite Japan’s strength as one so that moment comes in this tournament –everyone, let’s take on the North and Central America World Cup together!! Everyone, give it everything you’ve got.”

Shuto Machino, a striker for Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach, replaced Endo on the 26-man World Cup roster.

Japan will also face Tunisia on June 20 in Guadalupe, Mexico, and Sweden on June 25 in Arlington, Texas.

–Field Level Media