Football: Liverpool's Wataru Endo latest Japan player to win Premier League (2025)

Liverpool were crowned the English Premier League champions after a 5-1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, making Japan captain Wataru Endo the latest player from the country to win the title.

The 32-year-old joined former Manchester United player Shinji Kagawa (2012-2013), Shinji Okazaki, who won with Leicester (2015-2016), and former Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino (2019-2020) in winning the English top flight, widely regarded as the world's best league.

Junichi Inamoto was part of Arsenal's title-winning squad in 2001-2002, though he did not feature in a league game that season.

Liverpool fell behind to Dominic Solanke's 12th-minute header at Anfield but a Luis Diaz tap-in, a 20-meter screamer from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo's clever strike saw them take a 3-1 lead late in the first half.

After the break, Mohamed Salah drilled his league-leading 28th goal of the season and Destiny Udogie scored an own goal before Endo came on in the 76th minute at right-back for Trent Alexander-Arnold, helping them secure their 20th league title to draw level with Manchester United.

The final whistle sparked a wild celebration with home fans followed by a rendition of the famous "You'll Never Walk Alone," something they could not enjoy when winning their previous title five years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After making the defensive midfield position his own under former manager Jurgen Klopp in his first season at Liverpool, the hard-tackling Endo has seen limited game time under Arne Slot with more press-resistant Ryan Gravenberch preferred in a deep-lying role.

Though all his 17 league appearances have been as a substitute, the veteran has made his presence felt when Liverpool needed to protect leads and see games out, providing a valuable option for the squad as they sealed the title with four games to spare.

Captain Virgil van Dijk lauded Endo as "one of the leaders" of the team and for his contribution "on and off the pitch," telling Liverpool Echo in a piece published on Tuesday, "I am really happy with him and hopefully he can still be around for at least another few years."

Liverpool will make their first summer trip to Japan later this year as part of their preseason Asia tour, playing Yokohama F Marinos at Nissan Stadium on July 30 in what will be their first game in the country since the 2005 Club World Cup final.

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