Virgil van Dijk's gesture to Wataru Endo summed him up as pair denied World Cup reunion
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SportFootballWorld CupVirgil van Dijk made the ultimate gesture to Wataru Endo, showcasing just how dedicated the Liverpool captain is to leadershipVirgil van Dijk showcased his kind nature by handing Wataru Endo the captain's armband during Liverpool's trip to Japan last year - but the defender has been denied the opportunity to face off against his club team-mate at this summer's World Cup.Endo has been forced to withdraw from the Japan squad due to a broken foot and has now retired from international football."Since my injury, I've done everything I possibly could up to this point, so I have no regrets whatsoever," he said. "From here on, I'll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans."The Netherlands, captained by Van Dijk, take on Japan in both sides' opening World Cup game this weekend.
One of the main headlines from the game was Endo coming on to replace Van Dijk in the second half and receiving the captain's armband.The midfielder revealed he had a trial with Yokohama as a youngster but didn't join, leading to a full-circle moment as he led his Liverpool team to victory.The 33-year-old said at the time: "I supported this club actually and I went to (a) trial but I couldn't join this club. I think all Japanese people maybe wanted me to be captain."Van Dijk will be disappointed not to face Endo on Sunday afternoon as the Dutch take on the Japanese in a Group F clash.Endo sustained a broken left foot and a ruptured ligament against Sunderland in February and didn't make another appearance during the run-in.He was named in the World Cup squad for Japan and managed 45 minutes in a friendly against Iceland.
However, he was subbed off due to discomfort and has now been replaced by Borussia Monchengladbach's Shuto Machino.Liverpool made the announcement of Endo's withdrawal: "Wataru Endo has withdrawn from Japan's World Cup squad due to injury, and announced his retirement from international football. He moved to Anfield just over six months after the major tournament and has won the Premier League and Carabao Cup during his tenure in England.With just a year left on his Liverpool deal, the 33-year-old has become a favourite among the Anfield faithful due to his ability to do a job anywhere across the pitch.Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!Upgrade your World Cup TV setup with the Sky Glass 'designed for football'This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.