LIVERPOOL, England — A devastating injury has dashed the World Cup dreams of Liverpool and France forward Hugo Ekitike, France men’s national team head coach Didier Deschamps officially confirmed Wednesday. The 26-year-old striker suffered a severe suspected Achilles tendon injury during the first half of Tuesday’s high-stakes Champions League clash between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, leaving the pitch on a stretcher in the 27th minute after the incident.
Deschamps confirmed in a statement that the severity of the damage will not only cut Ekitike’s current club season short with Liverpool, but also rule him out of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Medical standards for severe Achilles tendon injuries typically require a recovery timeline of at least six months, making it impossible for Ekitike to regain full match fitness in time for the global tournament.
Liverpool’s club hierarchy has not yet issued an official confirmation of the injury timeline, but Reds head coach Arne Slot acknowledged immediately after Tuesday’s match that the injury appeared “really bad,” hinting at the grim outcome that was later confirmed by Deschamps.
This season, Ekitike has emerged as one of Liverpool’s most impactful attacking players, cementing his place as a locked-in starter for the Premier League side. Entering this week, he had notched 19 goals across all competitions for both club and country, including a critical strike in France’s 2-1 friendly win over Brazil just one month ago. His strong form had all but secured him a spot on Deschamps’ final World Cup squad heading into the summer tournament.
Deschamps praised Ekitike’s rapid integration into the French national setup, noting that the striker is one of around 10 promising young talents who have earned their first senior international caps for Les Bleus over the past several months. “He had integrated perfectly into the group, both on and off the pitch,” Deschamps said. “This injury is a huge blow for him, obviously, but also for the French national team. His disappointment is immense.”
Despite the crushing setback, Deschamps expressed unwavering confidence in Ekitike’s ability to return to top form, saying: “Hugo will get back to his best, I’m convinced of it. But I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire national team staff.”