Wataru Endo

Wataru Endo
Endo with Japan at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup pre-match conference
Personal information
Full name Wataru Endo
Date of birth (1993-02-09) 9 February 1993
Place of birth Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Japan
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position
Team information
Current team
Liverpool
Number 3
Youth career
1999–2004 Minamitotsuka FC
2005–2007 Minamitotsuka Junior High School
2008–2010 Shonan Bellmare
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2015 Shonan Bellmare 158 (23)
2016–2018 Urawa Red Diamonds 75 (5)
2018–2020 Sint-Truiden 29 (2)
2019–2020VfB Stuttgart (loan) 21 (1)
2020–2023 VfB Stuttgart 99 (12)
2023– Liverpool 57 (2)
International career
2012 Japan U19 4 (0)
2015–2016 Japan U23 11 (2)
2021 Japan Olympic (O.P.) 6 (0)
2015– Japan 72 (4)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Runner-up 2019
AFC U-23 Championship
2016
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:14, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 12:42, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

Wataru Endo (遠藤 航, Endō Wataru; born 9 February 1993) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool and captains the Japan national team.

Endo began his career at J1 League club Shonan Bellmare before moving to Urawa Red Diamonds in 2016, where he won the league title and the 2017 AFC Champions League. In 2018, he joined Sint-Truiden of the Belgian Pro League, before being loaned to Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart in 2019. He signed permanently with Stuttgart in April 2020, captaining them during his final season in Germany. Endo joined Liverpool in August 2023.

Endo made his debut for the Japan national team in 2015, and has since made over 70 appearances for the national team, including in two FIFA World Cups and two AFC Asian Cups. He captained Japan for the first time in June 2023.