Liverpool's Wataru Endo looks back on unsuccessful attempt to join Marinos
It was the first time Endo played in the Liverpool shirt in his own country as the Premier League champion beat Yokohama 3-1 in a preseason friendly.
"I supported this club actually, and I went to (a) trial but I couldn't join this club," the 32-year-old told Liverpool's official website. "Now I came back here as a player of (Liverpool). It was a dream-come-true moment.
"It was an amazing moment for me, because I came back to Japan as a Liverpool player. For me, it meant a lot."
Endo made his senior debut at Shonan Bellmare, a club based in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, over 30 kilometers away from Yokohama. He played for Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart before joining Liverpool in 2023.
Virgil van Dijk handed Endo the captain's armband as the latter replaced the Dutchman in the second half.
"I think it was a great gesture," Endo said. "I think all Japanese people maybe wanted me to be captain."
Liverpool begins it Premier League title defense with a home game against Bournemouth on Aug. 15.
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Japan Times
20 hours ago
- Japan Times
Fresh start for stable founded by legendary yokozuna Taiho
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Whether ex-speed skater Ginseizan or half-Polish former soccer player Tsuyukusa — who had previously been a translator for a Japan national team player in Europe — Otake stable has recruited men with all kinds of backgrounds. Tsuyukusa during training at Otake stable in August 2017 | John Gunning Ring names from the stable stand out as well. Perhaps the most unique was Migikataagari, a now-retired Japanese wrestler whose ring name means 'right shoulder rising' – a phrase used to describe an ascending graph. Moriurara, a name taken from a famous racehorse that lost 113 consecutive contests, was the moniker given to a similarly star-crossed wrestler. Though Tamaasuka represents a fresh start for Otake, three of Taiho's grandsons, including top-division star Oho, are members of the stable, so links with the past haven't completely vanished. The really intriguing question, however, is whether the drama will continue under new leadership.
Japan Times
a day ago
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Japan Times
2 days ago
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Japan swelters as previous heat record melts
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