Wataru Endo Profile – Net Worth, Background, Early Life, Family, Club, and International Career | OneFootball

Wataru Endo is a Japanese midfielder who plays for Premier League club Liverpool and the Japan national team. Throughout his early career, the player has always been regarded as the best in his business. He was considered one of the upcoming promising talents during his youth days, especially after becoming the captain of his national team in 2023.

After being on an impressive rise during his early career, Endo’s trajectory has gone one level up since joining Liverpool. It is already considered one of the bargain purchases of the last summer window.

This article delves into the key aspects of the Japanese talent’s life, exploring his early years, family background, net worth, career, and more.

Wataru Endo | Early Life and Family

Wataru Endo was born on 9th February 1993 to middle-class Japanese parents. He had been in love with football since childhood and used to play a lot during his youth. Details regarding his personal life and relationships are not known to the outside world as the player likes to maintain secrecy regarding the matter, focusing the spotlight more on his performances on the field.

During his youth, the player joined the youth academy of the local club, Shonan Bellmare. After showing signs of technical ability with outstanding ball distribution, 17-year-old Endo was promoted to the club’s first team in 2020. Since then, the player has been developing himself to become a star midfielder in the upcoming future of football.

Wataru Endo | Club Career

Shonan Bellmare

After spending 2 years in the youth academy, Endo was promoted to the Shonan Bellmare senior team in 2010, and in the next 5 seasons, he played for the club, helping them get promotion by winning the 2014 J League Division 2 title, after being relegated in the previous season. He also helped them get a good 8th-place finish in the following season. His form throughout his time at that club was commendable and he provided 30 goal contributions during that time. His performances attracted a fellow Japanese team that finished runner-up in the 2015 season.

Urawa Red Diamonds

After signing for fellow J1 League side Urawa Red Diamonds, Endo managed to win the 2016 J League, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout of the finals. Another great season followed with the player winning the 2017 Suruga Bank Championship along with Asia’s greatest honor, the 2017 AFC Champions League. During his time at the Red Diamonds, Endo scored a total of six goals in as many matches for the club. After winning the elite in Asia, Endo decided to go towards Europe and made a move as well in the 2018 summer window.

Sint-Truiden

After joining the Belgian Pro League club Sint-Truiden in 2018, Endo played many matches for the club in his first season but only scored 2 goals with inconsistent performances. His below-par performance in the 2018/19 season earned him a loan move out of Belgium for the next season.

VfB Stuttgart

Endo joined the German club VfB Stuttgart on 13th August 2019 on a loan deal until the end of that season. However, his outstanding performances in Germany influenced Stuttgart to sign him permanently in April 2020. 6 months later, Endo extended his contract with the club until June 2024. In the next three seasons with the club, Endo chipped in with crucial match-changing goals on regular occasions including the winner against 1. FC Koln on 14th May 2022 to save Stuttgart from relegation, securing their spot in the Bundesliga for the 2022/23 season.

Consequently, his performances caught the eye of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and unfortunately played for the last time for Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal first-round match against TSG Balingen on 12th August 2023, where he also scored a goal for the 4-0 win.

Liverpool

Endo signed for Liverpool on a four-year deal on 18th August 2023 for a transfer fee of £16 million, becoming just the second male Japanese footballer to play for the club. He made his club debut on the following day against Bournemouth and was praised for his performance in that match. Endo scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 5-1 win over Toulouse at Anfield in the UEFA Europa League.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Wataru Endo of Liverpool bites his medal after the team’s victory in the Carabao Cup Final match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 25, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

After scoring his first Premier League goal against Fulham on 3rd December 2023, he started the next 7 fixtures for Liverpool and helped the club win massive matches for the league title. His efforts were awarded with Liverpool’s Player of the Month award in December and since then, Endo has become a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s team this season.

Wataru Endo | International Career

After impressive performances in the youth levels of Japan, Endo was called up to Japan’s senior national team squad on 23rd July 2015 for the upcoming 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup and made his international debut in the opening game of that competition. Despite being named in the 2018 FIFA World Cup squad, Endo didn’t feature in any of their matches. After again being named in the Japan squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Endo featured in many matches for his side and helped Japan reach the round of 16, where they were knocked out by Croatia on penalties.

Mateo Kovacic of Croatia battles with Wataru Endo of Japan during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Japan and Croatia at Al Janoub Stadium on December 05, 2022 in Al Wakrah, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Following the World Cup, Endo was named captain of the Japan national team in June 2023 and has scored three goals as of now, including a late goal in a 2-1 loss to Iraq in the recent 2023 AFC Asian Cup. Since then, Endo has become a vital part of Japan’s midfield and is one of the brightest players on their side with his impressive versatility and ball-recycling ability.

Wataru Endo | Sponsors and Endorsement

Although Wataru Endo’s other sponsors are unknown, the player has been known to have a long-term deal with the sportswear company Puma regarding his boot sponsors. Being an aspiring and developing player, Endo is certain to get more sponsors running after his signature in the future.

Wataru Endo | Philanthropic Activities

Wataru Endo has been quite known for his philanthropy, with many of his charity-related works. He along with his club Liverpool has a partnership with Futuremakers to help the needy by collecting funds from signed shirt and jersey sales. Other details regarding his philanthropy are not known yet.

Wataru Endo | Records and Statistics

Wataru Endo’s statistics as a player, encompassing all his appearances and goal contributions for the teams he has played for till now in his career, are presented in the table below:

Wataru Endo | Net Worth

Wataru Endo reportedly has an approximate net worth of around $1-$5 million. Much of it is due to his huge contract with Liverpool, which includes impressive wages of around £2,600,000 per year.

Wataru Endo | Cars and Tattoos

Wataru Endo is not an open person, as he isn’t flashy and doesn’t like to show his life on social media. However, he is not known to have any luxury cars but the player surely would like to buy some in the future. Regarding tattoos, the player is known to have no ink on his body as per various sources.