Japan impresses at World Cup despite missing key players

Losing one key player before a World Cup is unfortunate. Losing three starts to look like a crisis. Japan lost Kaoru Mitoma, Takumi Minamino, and captain Wataru Endo to injuries before the 2026 tournament, and somehow the Samurai Blue have turned what should have been a disaster into a showcase of organizational depth.

Three absences, three different stories

Mitoma, the Brighton winger, was ruled out on May 15, 2026, after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Minamino’s situation was even more heartbreaking. The Monaco forward tore his ACL back in December 2025, meaning his World Cup was effectively over six months before it started.

Then came the final blow. Captain Endo, who had been nursing a left-foot injury, withdrew from the squad on June 11, 2026, just days before the tournament kicked off. He didn’t just leave the squad. He announced his retirement from international duty entirely.

Next man up, and they delivered

Shuto Machino, who plays his club football at Borussia Monchengladbach, was called up to replace Endo in the squad. Ko Itakura inherited the captain’s armband.

The bigger picture in Group F

Japan sits in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Sweden, and Tunisia. The expanded 48-team format for this World Cup means more games, more margin for error, and more chances for deep squads to outlast top-heavy ones.

The Samurai Blue’s stated ambition is to move past the round of 16, which has historically been their ceiling at World Cups. Pre-tournament victories against Brazil and England demonstrated that Japan can compete with and beat anyone on their day.

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