3 Wataru Endo

• Full Name: Wataru Endō (遠藤 航)
• Date of Birth: February 9, 1993
• Nationality: Japanese
• Position: Defensive Midfielder / Centre Back
• Current Club: Liverpool
• National Team: Japan (Captain)

Club Career

Shonan Bellmare (2010–2015)

🏆 Key player in Shonan’s J2 League title win (2014).
⚽ Scored 23 goals in 167 matches across all competitions.

Urawa Red Diamonds (2016–2018)

🏅 Won the 2016 J.League Cup (scored winning penalty in the final).
🏆 Captured the 2017 AFC Champions League, Asia’s most prestigious club title.

Sint-Truiden (2018–2019, Belgian Pro League)

🔄 Short stint in Belgium before securing a move to Germany.

VfB Stuttgart (2019–2023, Bundesliga)

📜 Initially joined on loan before signing permanently in April 2020.
🦾 Captained Stuttgart in his final season.
🥇 Scored the dramatic last-minute goal to keep Stuttgart in the Bundesliga (2022).

Liverpool (2023–Present, Premier League)

💰 Signed for £16 million in August 2023.
🔴 Became only the second Japanese male player to play for Liverpool.
⚽ Scored first Liverpool goal vs. Toulouse in the UEFA Europa League (October 2023).
🏆 Played all 120 minutes in Liverpool’s 2024 EFL Cup Final win over Chelsea.
🎖️ Named Liverpool’s Player of the Month (December 2023).

International Career

🇯🇵 Debuted for Japan in 2015.
🌏 Selected for 2018 & 2022 FIFA World Cups.
🎖️ Appointed captain of the national team in June 2023.
⚽ Scored in Japan’s 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign.

Playing Style & Strengths

🛡️ Versatile midfielder with a strong defensive mindset.
🔥 Elite ball-winning ability, ranking among the best in Bundesliga & Premier League stats.
🎯 Excellent positioning and tactical awareness.
🔁 Efficient in recycling possession and initiating attacks.