Career
He is considered a cult hero at Gamba Osaka and the Japan National Football Team. lieutenant is because he has formidable passing ability, leadership, and goal scoring ability. He is also known for his excellent accuracy on free kicks and is revered as one of Japan"s most creative midfielders as well as one of the most talented Japanese football players of his generation, despite playing domestically in his home country.
In 2011, he became the first J. League player to be named in the J. League Best Eleven 9 times.
In 2012, he extended his record and became the first Japanese player to be selected in the J. League Best Eleven ten consecutive times in a row in the midfield position. Endō played 1999 Fédération internationale de football association World Youth Championship and Japan finished as runner-up, losing to Spain in the final.
On 12 October 2010, he became the fourth player to earn 100th full international cap for Japan in a friendly match against South of Korea. On 16 October 2012, Endo became Japan"s most capped player in a friendly against Brazil.
His start in this match was his 123rd appearance for the national team, surpassing Masami Ihara"s previous record of 122 caps.
Endō was included in Japan"s squad for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup and scored the team"s opening goal of the tournament in a 4–0 defeat of Palestine.