Tokyo, June 11 -- Japan have suffered a major setback to their FIFA World Cup hopes, with their captain Wataru Endo not only ruled out due to injury, but also retiring from international football.

Just three days before their opening clash against the Netherlands, the Japanese team director Masakuni Yamamoto confirmed that Endo, who led his team to the World Cup, is yet to recover from a foot injury that required surgery in February. The 33-year-old midfielder, playing for English football giants Liverpool, said that the coach Hajime Moriyasu had told him he would be fit in time for the tournament.

Endo has made 73 appearances for Japan, and his first game since February was the friendly against Iceland in Tokyo on May 31, during which ...