Liverpool hero seeking to inspire budding talents following dream Anfield switch

Liverpool star Wataru Endo hopes that his journey and achievement of a “simple dream” will inspire children in the future

Wataru Endo wishes his incredible journey from a small club to becoming a successful Liverpool player will inspire many children. Endo is enjoying an incredible first season with Liverpool, playing a pivotal role in their challenge for the multiple titles.

Liverpool have already won the Carabao Cup competition despite the injury crisis that has threatened their season’s ambition. Endo played the complete 120 minutes of the final against Chelsea alongside numerous academy players to achieve success.

The Japan captain has also played an immense role in Liverpool’s Premier League title charge this season. The Reds are currently fighting Arsenal and Manchester City in a close battle to win the Premier League trophy. Furthermore, they are playing Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals with a firm intention of winning the competition.

Speaking as part of the Premier League’s Greatness Comes from Everywhere series (h/t Liverpoolfc.com), Endo elaborated on the importance of achieving his dream. He said:

“To see someone like me come from a small club and play in the Premier League means a lot to the Japanese football world. I dreamed of it, but I never thought I’d play for a team like Liverpool. It was nothing concrete, just a simple dream. I just knew I wanted to play in the Premier League someday, but now I find myself living that dream. I’m really pleased that I followed my dream and continued to work hard and that I was able to succeed in making it here, because I hope that my story will influence other children to do so in the future.”

The inspirational journey for Endo at Liverpool: From scepticism to fan favourite

During the summer, Liverpool competed with Chelsea to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia but failed to secure both targets. Chelsea’s unmatched spending power and wage cap, allowed them to outbid the Reds due to unregulated spending.

Liverpool used their ever-reliable scouting system to sign Endo despite his age and obscure reputation, playing at newly-promoted Stuttgart. The 31-year-old’s signing received a sceptical response from a section of fans and the British media during that time.

Endo replaced out-going Fabinho who achieved numerous trophies at the club but drastically regressed last season. Nevertheless, the Japanese international has proven that reputation and inflated price tag are not the wise factors to judge a player. While Endo enjoyed success, Caicedo and Lavia are a massive failure at the London club, unable to live up to their hype.

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Endo has shown the character and quality worthy of a Liverpool player, quickly becoming a fan favourite at the club. The 31-year-old’s story is ongoing yet it is truly inspiring for youngsters who are honing their skills at the less-known clubs but dream of playing on the biggest stage.