By Kwame Bediako
French striker Hugo Ekitike will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after rupturing his Achilles tendon, with the injury expected to keep him sidelined for around nine months and rule him out of France’s tournament campaign. The 23‑year‑old Liverpool forward picked up the injury during the Champions League quarter‑final second leg against Paris Saint‑Germain, going down in the 22nd minute without contact and having to be stretchered off after clutching his right ankle.
How the injury happened
Ekitike collapsed while sprinting during Liverpool’s 2–0 home defeat to PSG, in a tie the Reds lost 4–0 on aggregate. Initial medical assessments and subsequent scans pointed strongly to a torn Achilles tendon, ending Liverpool’s hopes of silverware and dashing his World Cup dreams. Reports suggest he could be out until early 2027, meaning he will miss the entire World Cup window from June 11 to July 19 in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Blow to France’s World Cup plans
Ekitike had emerged as one of Liverpool’s key attackers this season, contributing roughly 15 goals and six assists across all competitions and pushing hard for a place in Didier Deschamps’ squad. His exclusion leaves France with a depleted‑looking forward options in Group I, where they will face Senegal, Iraq and Norway. Coaches and pundits now expect greater reliance on established stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, with Ekitike’s absence weakening the squad’s attacking depth.
Impact on club and national team
At Liverpool, the Achilles rupture deprives manager Arne Slot of a dynamic, pressing forward who had been central to their push for major trophies. For the national team, Ekitike’s miss reinforces the immense physical risk major tournaments place on players, as France now must recalibrate their frontline plans without one of its brightest young threats.
What this means for the World Cup
France enter the 2026 World Cup as strong favorites in Group I and among the top contenders for the title, but Ekitike’s absence adds a layer of uncertainty to their attack. With the tournament just weeks away, his long‑term recovery underscores how quickly a player’s World Cup dream can vanish—and how much rested on the fitness of a single 23‑year‑old striker.
