ðšZinedine Zidane on Japan displaying Wataru EndÅâs jersey after their 2-2 draw with the Netherlands:
ð£ïžâI have played football my entire life, and moments like that remind you why this sport means so much to people. When I saw EndÅâs shirt hanging on the bench and his teammates holding it after the game, it genuinely touched me.
We spend so much time talking about tactics, formations, and results, but sometimes football gives you something far more powerful. It gives you moments of humanity.
Imagine working your entire career for one final World Cup, only for an injury to take it away just days before the tournament begins. Then imagine watching your teammates refuse to let the world forget you. Thatâs special.
What struck me most was that Japan didnât do it for the cameras or the headlines. You could see the emotion on their faces. It came from the heart.
The 89th-minute equaliser was incredible, but I honestly think the image of EndÅâs shirt will be remembered longer than the goal itself. Some moments are bigger than football.
As an opponent, you canât help but respect it. You could see that this team isnât just playing for themselves anymore. Theyâre carrying the dream of a teammate who should have been standing beside them.
Thatâs what makes Japan dangerous in this tournament. Not just their quality, but their unity. They look like a team willing to suffer for each other until the very last second.
And if Iâm EndÅ watching from home tonight, I probably have tears in my eyes. Because no trophy, medal, or speech can replace the feeling of knowing that your teammates havenât forgotten you.â