Last week, Jurgen Klopp joked that he did not wish Mo Salah and Wataru Endo good luck ahead of continental competitions with their national teams.
Moreover, the boss admitted that he would be 'overly happy' if both Egypt and Japan got knocked out at the group stage so that they could return early.
When asked about it ahead of the Asian Cup opener against Vietnam, Endo saw the funny side but remained serious about winning the cup.
"Of course the coach meant that as a joke but I do feel very honoured that he feels I need to be back at Liverpool," he said.
"I'm here now, I'm the captain of the team and all I'm thinking about is bringing the trophy back to Liverpool."
Japan is one of the traditional football giants in Asia. They have won the Asian Cup a record four times — but they have not done it since 2011, meaning this could be Endo's best shot for international glory.
