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After coming on as a substitute in Liverpool's 2-1 loss to Chelsea last weekend in the Premier League, midfielder Wataru Endo — Japan's captain since 2023 — withdrew from his national team with an injury.
Ex-Liverpool forward/midfielder Takumi Minamino stepped into Endo's spot and wore the captain's armband in the Samurai Blue's 2-2 draw against Paraguay on Friday at the Panasonic Stadium Suita in Osaka.
At one point, Minamino seemed like one of old Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp's worst signings from the Reds despite his paltry £7.25m price tag. The Japanese moved to Monaco in 2022 and, after a slow first season, has settled in as one of the most prolific attacking players in France. He drew praise from new teammate Paul Pogba in a recent interview.
"He's the first at training and last to leave," Pogba said, via Sportiva. "So disciplined but loves football. I need to learn from him. His smart play and movement show his deep understanding of the game."
Minamino has finished the last two seasons with 15 (2023/24) and 14 (2024/25) goal involvements the last two years, scoring three times last season in the Champions League.
The Japanese international scored 14 times in 55 games for Liverpool, including 10 during the team's cup-double campaign of 2021/22. He's bagged 24 goals in 70 games for the Japan national team.
Minamino's Japan team went down an early goal to Paraguay when former Newcastle player Miguel Almiron found the back of the net. Japanese forward Ayase Ueda, the top scorer in the Eredivisie, equalized in extra time to secure a 2-2 result.
"We twice fell behind, but I believe people watching could feel the players' grit to level things up and even turn the game around," said Samurai Blue manager Hajime Moriyasu post-match. "The forwards we expect to score got goals, and that gives the team confidence to build further."
Endo was named captain of the Japan national team around the same time as his £16.2 million move to the Reds from VFB Stuttgart in August 2023.
He's scored four times in 71 caps for his national team, a stint that includes six matches at the home Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Endo has become an end-of-game substitute option for Liverpool coach Arne Slot, often appearing in defense or defensive midfield to preserve a narrow lead. He has scored twice in 81 appearances for the Reds.
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