Netherlands take on Japan without captain Endo in World Cup group clash

The Netherlands open Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Japan on 14 June 2026 in Dallas, USA. Dutch coach Ronald Koeman will rely on star forward Memphis Depay, who returns after a quadriceps injury, alongside veterans Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Tijjani Reijnders. The squad, however, faces several absences: Xavi Simons, Matthijs de Ligt, Stefan de Vrij and defender Jurriën Timber are all unavailable through injury.

Japan enters the match without its captain and defensive midfielder Wataru Endo, who missed the tournament due to a foot injury. Coach Hajime Moriyasu will look to the experienced Yuto Nagatomo, the creative Takefusa Kubo and other attackers such as Ayase Ueda to compensate. Both teams aim to progress to the knockout stage, with the Netherlands hoping to return to the last‑four after a quarter‑final exit in Qatar 2022, while Japan seeks to improve on its previous World Cup records.

The encounter is highlighted as one of the must‑watch group games, with odds favoring the Dutch but a draw or Japanese upset still considered possible.