France’s Hugo Ekitike To Miss World Cup After Liverpool Champions League Injury

Liverpool and France striker Hugo Ekitike has been dealt a devastating blow as he faces up to nine months on the sidelines following a ruptured Achilles tendon injury. The 23-year-old was stretchered off in tears during the Reds’ 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on Tuesday night, with the club crashing out of the competition 4-0 on aggregate.

French dailies Le Parisien and L’Equipe broke the news on Wednesday, confirming the worst fears after Ekitike pointed straight to his right Achilles while medical staff attended to him before he was carried off the pitch. Liverpool boss Arne Slot described the injury as “really bad” and admitted he would be surprised if the forward plays again this season, while teammate Ibrahima Konate told reporters it looked “very serious” and wished his colleague well.

The timing could not be worse for the France international. Ekitike, who joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last July in a deal worth £69 million ($93.58 million) with add-ons potentially pushing it to club-record figures, has been one of the Premier League side’s standout performers this campaign. He has netted 17 goals and provided six assists in 45 appearances across all competitions, quickly establishing himself as a key figure under Slot.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled for June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada, Ekitike’s absence is a major setback for Les Bleus. The tall striker has earned eight caps for France so far, scoring twice – including a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine and a friendly strike against Brazil. He had emerged as the primary understudy to Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe, starting three of the last six matches for Didier Deschamps’ side.

The French Football Federation (FFF) was unavailable for immediate comment when contacted, but the reports from reliable French sources have left little room for doubt. Achilles injuries are notoriously tough, typically requiring six to nine months of rehabilitation before a player can even think of returning to full training.

Liverpool fans, already reeling from the Champions League exit after Ousmane Dembele’s double sealed PSG’s progress, now face the prospect of losing their summer signing for the rest of the season. Ekitike’s departure on a stretcher cast a dark cloud over Anfield, where the Reds had pushed hard but ultimately fell short against a clinical French outfit.

For Ekitike, who only made his senior France debut last year, the injury robs him of what many saw as his breakthrough tournament on the global stage.