French international Hugo Ekitike is set to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The 23-year-old striker was carried off on a stretcher at Anfield after pointing to his Achilles during the match, which Liverpool lost 2-0, exiting the competition with a 4-0 aggregate defeat on Tuesday night.

French newspapers Le Parisien and L'Equipe reported the injury news on Wednesday, confirming that the severe injury will rule Ekitike out of the World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Ekitike has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season for Liverpool since his £69 million ($93.58m) transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt last July.

The French Football Federation (FFF) was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters, awaiting official confirmation of the injury. Ekitike has been a rising star for France, scoring two international goals in the team's last four matches – one in a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine and another in a friendly against Brazil – and has been viewed as the primary understudy to Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe.

With eight total appearances for France, including three starts in the last six matches, Ekitike's absence represents a significant blow not only to his personal career but also to France's World Cup preparations, as he had been establishing himself as a key backup option in the attacking lineup.

Source: www.aljazeera.com