He was stretchered off in the second half after his foot got caught in the turf while making a clearance, causing a painful twist.
Despite the initial impact, Endo showed incredible determination—he briefly got back to his feet, helped defend a corner, and only then collapsed in pain, requiring oxygen and medical attention before being carried off in tears. Liverpool manager Arne Slot described it as a “serious” injury post-match, saying it “doesn’t look good” and that Endo is likely to be out “for a long time” (or “long, long time”), with further assessments and scans needed to confirm the exact nature (ankle vs. foot involvement).
Injury analysts, including @physioscout, reviewed the footage and pointed to a likely high-ankle sprain (syndesmosis injury) from the forced eversion mechanism, with scans required to rule out a fibula fracture. Potential recovery timelines include:
- High-ankle sprain: 8-10 weeks (longer if surgery needed)
- With fracture: 6-10 weeks or more
- Combined syndesmosis + fracture: 12+ weeks (potentially over three months)
This could mean missing the rest of the 2025/26 season, given the timing in mid-February. At 33, Endo has had prior ankle and hamstring issues, but no reports indicate this is career-ending—many players recover well from similar injuries with proper rehab.
Regarding the “shocking ailment” mentioned: All credible sources (Liverpool’s official site, ESPN, Mirror, Express, Kyodo News for Japan coverage, etc.) describe this purely as a traumatic ankle/foot injury from the on-pitch incident—no separate or unrelated disease, illness, or “ailment” has been discovered or reported post-injury. Claims of his football career being “seriously at risk” (implying potentially over) appear overstated or sensationalized; it’s a major setback, especially with the 2026 World Cup approaching (starting June 2026), raising concerns for his Japan national team role as a key midfielder/captain, but not existential for his career.
Wishing Endo a strong and full recovery—he’s earned praise as a true warrior for fighting through the pain. Official updates from Liverpool FC will provide the definitive diagnosis soon, likely after today’s scans. Keep checking reliable sources for the latest.
