Endo retirement forces midfield rethink for Japan ahead of Dutch meeting

Japan's national football team faces a significant midfield reshuffle as captain Wataru Endo has retired from international duty. Coach Hajime Moriyasu must now find a replacement for Endo, a key player, ahead of their World Cup campaign opener against the Netherlands in Dallas on Sunday.

Endo, 33, was expected to feature in the Group F clash but a persistent foot injury forced his withdrawal from the squad on Thursday. His departure prompted the midfielder to announce his retirement from international football. Endo had formed a midfield partnership with Ao Tanaka in Japan's recent friendly against Iceland, but Moriyasu has options like Germany-based Kaishu Sano or Daichi Kamada to consider.

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I was surprised to hear about Endo's departure. We'll just have to make do with the remaining players.

"I was surprised to hear about Endo's departure," said Japan playmaker Takefusa Kubo. "We'll just have to make do with the remaining players." Kubo added that Endo had conveyed information to defender Ko Itakura, who is expected to share it with the team.

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He's our top scorer in the national team and we need him if we'd like to go in a good way in this tournament. We need all the players but, of course we need Memphis Depay as well.

Meanwhile, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman also has concerns. Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen is recovering from a knock sustained in a friendly win, and forward Memphis Depay has had limited playing time recently due to injuries. "He's our top scorer in the national team and we need him if we'd like to go in a good way in this tournament," Koeman said of Depay.

The match in Dallas Stadium will be the first encounter between the two nations since a 2-2 draw in a friendly in 2013. The Dutch won their only previous World Cup meeting 1-0 in South Africa in 2010. "They have shown that they're really strong as a team," Koeman commented on Japan. "We believe in ourselves, we respect Japan but we are Holland and they will respect us. We are looking forward. I think it will be an interesting match, and a difficult one."

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They have shown that they're really strong as a team. We believe in ourselves, we respect Japan but we are Holland and they will respect us. We are looking forward. I think it will be an interesting match, and a difficult one.