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Liverpool's Endo prioritizes champions over game time ahead of World Cup

Liverpool's Endo prioritizes champions over game time ahead of World Cup

Nikkei Asia31-07-2025
Liverpool player Wataru Endo speaks to Nikkei Asia in Tokyo on July 29. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
CHRIS RUSSELL
TOKYO -- Liverpool's Wataru Endo says he is continuing to embrace the competitive environment of the newly crowned English Premier League champions even though his game time was limited last season, and that this will set him up to deliver with the Japanese national team at the World Cup in North America next year.
"If I maintain a high level of awareness [of what I should do], then I think my game smarts won't diminish," the defensive midfielder, who also serves as the captain of the national team, told Nikkei Asia in an exclusive interview ahead of Wednesday's friendly match played between Liverpool and the Yokohama F. Marinos.
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