Footballers Unfiltered: "Japan can surprise the world," says Wataru Endo

• Japan captain Wataru Endo joins Australia international Jackson Irvine on Episode Two of Footballers Unfiltered Season Three, FIFPRO’s World Cup series fronted by players preparing for the tournament themselves
• The Liverpool midfielder opens up on his race to be fit for the 2026 World Cup, revealing the physical and mental challenges of recovering from injury in time to lead Japan as captain at the tournament
• Endo also speaks candidly on the demands of the modern game – from the toll of long-haul international travel to why players like him need a louder voice in decisions that shape their careers

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo joins Australia international Jackson Irvine on the second episode of Footballers Unfiltered Season Three, FIFPRO’s World Cup series where players heading to the tournament speak openly, peer to peer.

Host Irvine, who is preparing for the tournament himself, is bringing together active internationals for honest conversations about pressure, workload and life inside the modern game.

In Episode Two, Irvine sits down with Endo, who is aiming to lead Japan at the 2026 World Cup after an injury earlier this year left him in a race to be fit.

"It's going to be a special one for me because I'm captain of the Japanese team at the moment," Endo tells Irvine. "I need to get fit for the World Cup, and hopefully I can make it."

World Cup ambitions and facing Liverpool team-mates

For Endo, 33, the World Cup has been part of his story since childhood. "The Korea and Japan World Cup is my first memory," he tells Irvine. "Since then, I really dreamed to play at the World Cup."

That dream became a reality in Qatar, where Japan beat Germany in one of the tournament’s defining results. "Finally, I feel like the dream came true," Endo says. "To beat Germany is one of my favourite memories for sure."

Now, Japan arrive with greater expectations. Endo believes the team has the quality and confidence to go further. "We can do something," he says. "We can achieve something. We can surprise the world."

But he is also realistic about the challenge. "The World Cup is always tough to play. Every team is really, really good and every country is ready. It's going to be a tough group stage for us. But we need to play with confidence."

Japan face the Netherlands, meaning Endo could go up against several of his Liverpool team-mates, including Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Jeremie Frimpong and Ryan Gravenberch. 

"Before the draw, I felt like we might be in the same group," he says with a grin. "And then, yeah, that happened!"

The race to be fit and the power of the player voice

When the conversation turns to his injury, Endo is open about it. "It's actually a difficult moment for me. I haven’t played a lot of games this season and also last season as well. But I think the most important thing is to be ready for every game – even if you play only five or ten minutes, you have to play well."

He continues: "I'm already 33. I don't play a lot of games. But I still feel like I can play every game for Liverpool. To stay positive is important for me to achieve something."

The episode also goes beyond performance. Irvine and Endo, both members of the FIFPRO Global Player Council, discuss the reality of international football: long-haul travel, congested calendars, club commitments and the need for players to be heard.

"The flights – I kind of feel like, oh, I have to go again, again," Endo admits. "I think every player, especially if you play every game or even if you play for a national team, it's hard to keep yourself motivated."

He names Alexis MacAllister and Alisson as team-mates he regularly speaks with about it, who feel the weight of the same calendar.

And then Irvine asks the question that matters: should players be more involved in conversations with decision-makers to help find solutions?

"Yeah, I think it's important," says Endo. 

As an Australia international, co-president of PFA Australia, and a player heading to the tournament himself, Irvine is living the same pressures as his guests. Endo also opens up on his recovery, mindset and what it would mean to make the tournament as Japan captain.

"It’s going to be a special one for me," he says. "I need to get fit for the World Cup. Hopefully I can make it."

Watch Episode Two of Footballers Unfiltered Season Three with Irvine and Endo in full HERE.