Even though sports like boxing, rugby, and hockey are usually linked to gum shields, some football players choose to wear them to protect their teeth. Wataru Endo, a player for Japan and Liverpool, has disclosed his motivation.
The defensive midfielder, who joined the red side of Merseyside from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2023, was one of Jurgen Klopp’s four midfield-based additions, along with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Although many have seen his calm yet steely demeanour when he has been used in the Dutchman’s heart of the pitch, many fans are unaware that he wears a mouthguard. He is currently a worthy deputy in Arne Slot’s engine room.
In fact, ever since he had a talk with his dentist, he has been a mainstay at the MHP Arena for the past four seasons. However, the justification goes beyond simply keeping his teeth safe, unlike what many people think.
Endo’s Unconventional Mouthguard Use
“I fear playing football without it.”
Since his arrival, Kopites have been ecstatic with his hard-working performances, which have seen him score two goals and dish out one assist. The 30-year-old’s choice to wear a mouthguard has also made the Anfield supporters snicker.
In his book, Duel, Endo outlined why he chooses to wear a gum shield when he steps to the field, whether it is for his Premier League employers or his home country of Japan. Endo is synonymous with wearing a mouthguard during games on the field.
He wrote, as reported by This Is Anfield: “I can honestly state that it has become so vital to me that I’m scared to play football without it. When I met German dentist Jun Miyagawa, I began using it for the first time.
“Even monkeys have beautiful teeth; only humans lose their teeth,” Mr. Miyagawa told me, adding that “restoring the jaw joint to its proper position will improve both the mind and body.” The primary function of a mouthpiece is to safeguard your teeth.
As a contact sport, football is less popular than American football or rugby, yet it is still possible for teeth to break from impact. First, I wanted to stop it. I started hitting “1 vs. 1” with all my strength, and I no longer dread breaking my teeth.
The former Stuttgart enforcer also stated that the mouthguard helps him switch into game mode when he takes on the pitch, even if its main purpose in all facets of sports, including the beautiful game, is to protect teeth.
Additionally, I am able to relax by maintaining awareness of my jaw position. While I’m on the pitch, it’s not a completely necessary tool.
Endo affirmed his justification, saying it helps him appear like a fighter, which gives his all-action demeanour more personality. According to the Japanese journal Football Zone, Endo has made Japan a “unbreakable” force. He stated in an interview with Sky Sports:
Endo told the station, “I met a Japanese dentist in Germany, and he told me it’s a good mouthpiece, it makes something different about performance.” “Now I just wear it to protect my teeth and it looks like a fighter, so I just put the mouthpiece on and it’s like game mode when I go into the pitch.”
Wataru Endo explains why he wears a gum shield during matches! 🦷🛡️ pic.twitter.com/TKgJIQYWdQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 23, 2023
Signed By Klopp, Utilised by Slot
Japan international is the perfect utility man
As previously said, Klopp, who is considered by many to be among the best man-managers in world football, approved his Germany-England transfer during his last summer as manager before resigning to take a position as Global Sports Director at Red Bull.
The 67-cap Japan international, who graduated from the Shonan Bellmare academy, scored his first goal for the Reds in the Europa League against Toulouse, but his most memorable moment to date was his vital equaliser in his team’s 4-3 triumph over Fulham.
Before leaving for the Asian Cup, the midfield player started to establish himself under Klopp’s close supervision. Endo, who was born in Yokohama, has naturally had difficulty establishing himself as a consistent presence throughout Slot’s early years.
Although he has won over the Anfield supporters with his warrior mindset, the 1993-born star has been unable to play too much because to Ryan Gravenberch’s scorching form, who is regarded as one of the top midfielders in the world of football.
Wataru Endo: Statistics for the Club
Club
Games
Objectives
Helps
Red/Yellow Cards
Bellmare, Shonan
167
24
7.
8/1
Stuttgart VfB
133
15.
Twelve
18/0
Red Diamonds of Urawa
108
6.
7.
5/1
Japan
67
4.
4.
6/0
Liverpool
64
2.
One
13/0
VV Sint-Truidense
31
2.
2.
2/0
The reliable engine room fulcrum has yet to score or contribute in the 2024–25 campaign across all competitions as of this writing, but he has demonstrated that he has what it takes to safeguard valuable leads under Slot regardless of the competition.
Endo, who only cost the club £16.2 million, has shown himself to be the ideal backup for when Mac Allister, Gravenberch, or Szoboszlai need a few minutes away from the action. The games are still coming thick and fast.
