Wataru Endō Reflects on Retirement After 12 Liverpool Appearances
Wataru Endō has started thinking about life after football, even while insisting he is not ready to stop playing. The Liverpool midfielder made 12 appearances this season and has a year remaining on his contract, which keeps his future in view as he works back from a difficult stretch.
Endō on Liverpool and retirement
“I've started thinking about [life] after my career as well but it doesn't mean I stop playing football next year or something like that,” Endō said in an interview with FIFPRO's Footballers Unfiltered. He also said he remains focused on being ready whenever he is needed, even if that means only five or 10 minutes on the pitch.
His comments land during a season in which minutes have been hard to find. Endō said, “It's a difficult moment for me because I haven't played a lot of games this season and also last season as well,” before adding that he still feels able to play every game for Liverpool.
Brentford return after February injury
Endō returned to the matchday squad against Brentford on Sunday after a long injury lay-off. He had been stretchered off against Sunderland in February with an ankle injury, and the setback followed a spell in which he already had to deal with limited playing time.
That lack of rhythm has shaped the way he is looking at the rest of his career. Endō said he is interested in being a manager and in the business of football, and he said his latest book talks about football and mindset, including how people handle difficult situations in life.
Japan, books and what comes next
The 33-year-old also said staying positive remains important for him as he tries to achieve something. He wrote that he has two of his own books, and he framed his latest one around football and mindset rather than life only as a player.
His next football commitment is with Japan, as he heads to North America for the World Cup. For Liverpool, the immediate picture is clearer: Endō is back around the squad, still under contract for one more year, and still trying to turn a difficult season into something more stable before the summer questions sharpen.
