Despite the painful process of the injury, Wataru Endo was very grateful for the support and love of the fans.

2026-04-03 00:38

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, in an interview, talked about his experience after being injured in a key Premier League match. He said that although he was in great pain at the time, he was very moved and grateful to hear the support and cheers of the fans, and the pain was relieved.

In a Premier League match against Sunderland in February, Japanese captain Wataru Endo injured his foot while defending and was substituted. Liverpool defeated Sunderland 1-0 thanks to a goal from Virgil van Dijk.

Recalling the incident, 33-year-old Wataru Endo shared, "I still remember the cross that flew into the penalty area. I just wanted to clear the ball out of the goal range. I remember putting all my weight on my left foot and then I got injured. Of course, it hurt a lot."

“I was thinking that I might not be able to continue the game. The reason I stood up was because Robertson told me that we had to defend the corner kick, and if possible, to hold on until we defended the corner kick before going down. I then tried to stand up, but it really hurt too much. But even with the injury, I still wanted to do my best to help the team.”

Wataru Endo said, "It really hurt at the time. The team doctor asked me if I could stand up and walk off the field by myself, but I said no. I cried a little at that time, but I didn't cry because of the pain. It was because our fans were singing my theme song, which meant a lot to me. I think that's why the pain seemed to lessen a bit."

“I am truly grateful because I haven’t played many games this season, but I have always tried my best to help the team, whether it’s playing 5 minutes or 10 minutes doesn’t matter. But at that moment, I could feel that the fans were still supporting me, which touched me deeply. After the injury, I also received a lot of messages on social media. I am very grateful that they have been concerned about me. This has been a great help in keeping me motivated.”

On the other hand, Liverpool will travel to Manchester to face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals. After that match, Sloot's team will travel to the Parc des Princes for a crucial Champions League quarter-final match against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Wataru Endo stated, "I think everyone now clearly understands that this is our goal for the season. We still have a chance to win the Champions League and the FA Cup, so we will do our best to win both titles."

Image source: Internet