Endo ruled out of World Cup as Japan prepare for Netherlands

Endo out of the entire World Cup

Japan captain Wataru Endo will miss the whole tournament through injury. It's a massive blow on the eve of your opening match against the Netherlands. Dutch journalist Valentijn Driessen played down the loss from an Oranje perspective, saying: "He's not a bloodletting, otherwise Slot would have started him more often" (5). Don't let that fool you, Endo is the heart of Japan's midfield. His absence reshapes everything for the Dutch game on Sunday.

Verbruggen back for the Netherlands

Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen returned to training ahead of Sunday's opener at a closed session, good news for Oranje and bad news for Japan (2) (4). His availability means you'll face the Netherlands' first-choice keeper, not a backup.

De Jong: 'We're unpredictable'

Frenkie de Jong spoke ahead of the match, acknowledging Japan as a serious opponent: "We have good players and we are unpredictable" (1). He stopped short of calling the Netherlands favorites, a sign that respect for Japan runs deep in the Dutch camp.

Shinji Ono in the spotlight

With the Netherlands-Japan matchup looming, Dutch media have turned their attention to Shinji Ono, the former Feyenoord icon who became a legend in Rotterdam. Ono reflected on his time with characteristic humor: 'Maradona got less attention than me' (3). A nice reminder of the bridge between these two football cultures.