Speaking after the 3-1 win over Yokohama, Slot told reporters: “The reason why I brought Wataru Endo in just before the rest is that I think he deserved that more than everyone else, I would almost say, for the role he played last season in us winning the league.
At the end of the match, Endo also had the honour of lifting the J-League World Challenge trophy for Liverpool in another nod to how selflessly he has served the club under Slot.