Liverpool and France forward Hugo Ekitike will miss the 2026 World Cup after suffering a serious injury during his club’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, national coach Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old collapsed while holding his lower right leg with a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon during the first half of Liverpool’s 2-0 quarter-final defeat to European champions PSG on Tuesday.
«Unfortunately, the severity of Ekitike’s injury will prevent him from completing the season with Liverpool and participating in the World Cup,» Deschamps said in a statement released by the French Football Federation.
«This injury is of course a huge blow for him, but also for the French national team. I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire coaching staff.»
Ekitike has scored 17 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool since arriving at Anfield for a fee of £79 million ($105.5 million) last summer.
Ekitike has been a regular since winning his first France cap in a World Cup qualifier last September The Blues‘ formation, scored two goals and provided one assist in his eight international matches.
«It looks very bad, but it is difficult for me to say how bad,» Liverpool manager Arne Slot said after the match on Tuesday.
Injuries have been a major factor in a disastrous season for Liverpool as they sit fifth in the Premier League and will end the season without success.
“Losing a player is something we have experienced a lot this season, but it is especially difficult for him because you never want to get injured, especially at this time of the season,” Slot said.
Published on April 16, 2026
