Jun Endō Explained

Jun Endo
Fullname:Jun Endo[1]
Birth Date:24 May 2000
Birth Place:Shirakawa, Fukushima, Japan
Height:1.66 m
Position:Forward, Midfielder
Currentclub:Angel City
Clubnumber:18
Youthyears1:2013–2018
Youthclubs1:JFA Academy Fukushima LSC
Years1:2018–2021
Clubs1:Tokyo Verdy Beleza
Caps1:41
Goals1:13
Years2:2022–
Clubs2:Angel City
Caps2:40
Goals2:4
Nationalyears1:2016
Nationalteam1:Japan U-17
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:3
Nationalyears2:2018
Nationalteam2:Japan U-20
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:2
Nationalyears3:2019–
Nationalteam3:Japan
Nationalcaps3:42
Nationalgoals3:5
Club-Update:17:30, 1 November 2023 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:02:06, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward and attacking midfielder for Angel City FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Japan national team.[2] She previously played for Nippon TV Beleza of the Japanese Nadeshiko League and won the 2019 AFC Women's Club Championship.

Early life

Endo was born in Fukushima Prefecture on 24 May 2000. Endo is the youngest of four children. Her father is a football coach, and her mother is a teacher, and her family lived next door to her grandparents in her hometown of Shirakawa in the Fukushima Prefecture of Japan.[3]

The April 2011 Fukushima earthquake struck while Endo, then 10 years old, was in class and heavily damaged her school. Her family and their homes survived, and they were not required to evacuate from the subsequent release of radiation at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant; as she wasn't allowed to go outside, she continued to practice football inside her home, which contributed to her ability to handle the ball in confined spaces.[4] In a 2023 interview, Endo said that at the time she had been bullied by youth players who would often act like players from Fukushima were "contaminated" by radioactivity. Despite this, the subsequent Japanese victory at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup inspired Endo to continue her football career.

Club career

Tokyo Verdy Beleza, 2018–2021

In 2018, she joined L.League club Nippon TV Beleza from JFA Academy Fukushima LSC. In 2019, Endo won the 2019 AFC Women's Club Championship with Nippon TV Beleza.[5]

Angel City FC, 2022–

On 20 December 2021, Endo signed with NWSL club Angel City FC for the club's inaugural season. On 29 April 2022, she assisted the first goal and scored the second in Angel City's first-ever regular season game, a win over North Carolina Courage,[6] and was awarded Player of the Match.[7] In her first season with Angel City, Endo played 22 games and racked up 1,925 minutes.[8] The club finished their first season in eighth place with a record.[9]

Endo returned to Angel City for the 2023 season and started in 10 of the 18 games she played in addition to playing in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[10] She notched her first goal and assist of the season in a 3-2 win over Kansas City Current in May.[11]

During a 2-2 draw against Chicago Red Stars on 17 September, she scored the club's second goal.[12] She scored Angel City's last goal in a 5-1 rout against Portland Thorns FC on 15 October.[13] Angel City finished in fifth place during the regular season and advanced to the playoffs for the first time[14] where they were eliminated by Seattle Reign FC in the quarter final match.[15] On 29 November 2023, Angel City announced they would exercise their one-year option to extend Endo's contract through 2024.[16] In February 2024, Endo suffered a season-ending ACL injury to her left-knee during a preseason training camp in Melbourne, Florida.[17]

International career

Youth

In 2016, Endo was selected for the Japan U-17 national team for the 2016 U-17 World Cup.[18] She played in four matches and scored three goals, helping Japan win second place.

In 2018, Endo was selected for the Japan U-20 national team for the 2018 U-20 World Cup.[19] She played in all six matches and scored two goals, and Japan won the championship.

Senior

In February 2019, Endo was selected for the Japan national team for the SheBelieves Cup. She earned her first cap for the senior nation al team on 27 February during the match against the United States.[20]

In 2019, Endo was the youngest member of the 2019 Japanese World Cup team and played in three of Japan's four games.[21] [22]

In February 2023, Endo was selected for the Japan national team for the SheBelieves Cup.[21] She scored in Japan's 3-0 win over Canada. On 13 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.[23]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tokyo Verdy Beleza2018Nadeshiko League00001010
2019185514030276
2020158552013
2021–22WE League8020100
Total411312650306119
Angel City2022NWSL22160281
202318310193
20240000
Total40470474
Career total81171261203010823

International

[24]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National TeamYearAppsGoals
Japan2019120
202020
202171
202271
2023143
Total425

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Endo goal.

List of international goals scored by Jun Endo
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result CompetitionRef
113 June 2021Kanseki Stadium Tochigi, Utsunomiya, Japan5–15–1Friendly[25]
227 June 2022Veritas Stadion, Turku, Finland2–15–1[26]
322 February 2023Toyota Stadium, Frisco, United States3–03–02023 SheBelieves Cup[27]
422 July 2023Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand4–05–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup[28]
530 November 2023Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, Brazil2–33–4Friendly[29]

Honours

Tokyo Verdy Beleza

Japan U20

Japan

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019 – List of Players: Japan . . 13 . 27 May 2019 . 27 May 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190708190751/https://tournament.fifadata.com/documents/FWWC/2019/pdf/FWWC_2019_SQUADLISTS.PDF . 8 July 2019.
  2. News: Baxter . Kevin . 25 July 2023 . Angel City's irrepressible Jun Endo finds ways to stand out for Japan in World Cup . . 26 October 2023.
  3. Web site: How Angel City's irrepressible Jun Endo stands out for Japan . Los Angeles Times . 23 March 2024.
  4. News: Oxenham . Gwendolyn . 5 April 2023 . How an earthquake, nuclear fallout and family made Jun Endo one of the world's most electrifying players . 6 April 2023 . ESPN.
  5. Web site: Jun Endo . 21 August 2023 . Angel City FC.
  6. Web site: Angel City FC win inaugural NWSL regular season game in front of star-studded and festive crowd in Los Angeles. 30 April 2022 .
  7. Web site: Angel City FC on Instagram: "A well deserved Player of the Match title goes to Jun Endo! @jun_soccer524 #Volemos | #NWSL | #LAvNC | #AngelCityFC".
  8. Web site: Yang . Steph . Jun Endo talks growing up in Japan, finding style on and off the field with Angel City . 21 August 2023 . The Athletic . en.
  9. Web site: 2022 Angel City FC . Soccerway . 23 March 2024.
  10. Web site: Jun Endo . Soccerway . 23 March 2024.
  11. Web site: Alyssa Thompson helps power Angel City to win over Kansas City . Los Angeles Times . 23 March 2024 . May 7, 2023.
  12. Web site: Ali Riley and Jun Endo score as Angel City plays Chicago to draw . Los Angeles Times . 23 March 2024.
  13. Web site: Portland Thorns squander NWSL shield, lose 5-1 on road at Angel City FC . The Oregonian . 23 March 2024 . 15 October 2023.
  14. Web site: Angel City FC season preview: Aiming to become contenders . Los Angeles Daily News . 23 March 2024.
  15. Web site: Reign edge Angel City in NWSL quarterfinals as Rose Lavelle returns in Megan Rapinoe’s final home game . The Athletic . 23 March 2024.
  16. Web site: Angel City and Jun Endo Exercise One-Year Option . 5 December 2023 . Angel City.
  17. Web site: 2024-02-15 . Angel City FC's Jun Endo to miss season with ACL injury . 2024-03-12 . Daily News . en-US.
  18. https://web.archive.org/web/20181111133730/https://www.fifa.com/u17womensworldcup/archive/jordan2016/teams/team=1914191/players.html FIFA
  19. https://web.archive.org/web/20180820203426/https://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/teams/team/1888600/ FIFA
  20. http://www.jfa.jp/eng/nadeshikojapan/2019_shebelieves_cup/match_page/m2.html Japan Football Association
  21. Web site: 5 April 2023 . How an earthquake and nuclear disaster led one player to the World Cup and NWSL . 1 November 2023 . ESPN.com . en.
  22. Web site: MCKIRDY . Andrew . 12 July 2023 . Fukushima-born Jun Endo ready to run free for Japan at World Cup . 1 November 2023 . The Japan Times . en.
  23. News: Iwabuchi left out of Japan's World Cup squad . en-GB . BBC Sport . 20 June 2023.
  24. Web site: Jun Endo|JFA|Japan Football Association.
  25. Web site: Japan vs. Mexico - 13 June 2021 - Soccerway . 23 February 2023 . int.soccerway.com.
  26. Web site: Finland vs. Japan - 27 June 2022 - Soccerway . 23 February 2023 . int.soccerway.com.
  27. Web site: Canada vs. Japan - 22 February 2023 - Soccerway . 23 February 2023 . int.soccerway.com.
  28. Web site: Zambia vs. Japan - 22 July 2023 - Soccerway . 23 July 2023 . int.soccerway.com.
  29. Web site: Fixtures/Results International Friendly Match Nadeshiko Japan Japan National Team Japan Football Association JFA . 2023-12-01 . www.jfa.jp.