Liverpool Confirm Hugo Ekitike Won’t Play At 2026 World Cup After Rapturing Achilles

Hugo Ekitike will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during Liverpool FC’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.

Hugo Ekitike, 23, was carried off on a stretcher at Anfield after slipping in the first half, raising immediate fears of a serious injury. Scans carried out on Wednesday confirmed the worst, ruling him out for the remainder of the club season and France’s summer campaign.

In a statement released on Thursday, Liverpool said: “Scans on the issue have subsequently confirmed a rupture of the Achilles tendon. Ekitike will therefore be sidelined for the remaining weeks of the club season and unable to participate at this summer’s World Cup with France. Further updates will be provided at the appropriate time.”

France manager Didier Deschamps also confirmed the setback in a message published by the French Football Federation.

He said: “Hugo is one of the dozen young players who have made their debuts with the national team in recent months. He had perfectly integrated into the group, both on the pitch and off it. This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the France team. His disappointment is immense.

“Hugo will regain his top form, I’m convinced of it. But I wanted to express all my support to him, as well as that of the entire staff. We know he’ll be fully behind the France team, and we’re all thinking of him very strongly.”

Ekitike joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last July and quickly emerged as a bright spot in a difficult campaign, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists in all competitions. In January, he became only the second Liverpool player after Kenny Dalglish to score in five competitions during his debut season.

Head coach Arne Slot admitted the injury looked serious from the outset. He said: “I think we could all see that it didn’t look well and didn’t look good. It’s especially very hard for him because you never want to be injured, especially not at this moment of time in the season.”

Liverpool’s injury list remains lengthy, with Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley out for the season, while Alisson Becker and Wataru Endo continue their recovery. Alexander Isak only recently returned from an ankle injury suffered in December.