Wataru Endo‘s Dream Fulfilled: Liverpool Midfielder Returns to Japan as a Reds Player

Wataru Endo experienced a full-circle moment as he played for Liverpool in his native Japan, a stark contrast to his earlier unsuccessful trial with Yokohama F. Marinos years ago. The 32-year-old midfielder, now a key player for the Premier League champions, shared his emotions after Liverpool’s 3-1 friendly victory over Yokohama.

“in fact, I was encouraging this club, and I underwent a test period in an effort to join its ranks, but I was unable to do so,” Endo stated on the Liverpool website. “now I returned here as a player in Liverpool. It was a moment like a dream to be fulfilled.”

The match marked Endo’s first appearance in a Liverpool shirt on Japanese soil, a deeply personal occasion for the midfielder. “It was a special moment for me, because I whent back to Japan and I was a player in Liverpool. That meant me a lot,” he added.

Endo’s professional career began with Shonan Bellmare in Hiratsuka, a city not far from Yokohama. He later moved to German club Stuttgart before making the meaningful switch to Liverpool in 2023.During the friendly,Virgil van Dijk presented Endo with the captain’s armband when he came on as a substitute,a gesture that resonated deeply with the player. “I think it was a great gesture. I think that all Japanese wanted to see me as captain,” Endo commented.

liverpool is set to commence their Premier League title defence against bournemouth on August 15th.