Liverpool and France striker Huge Ekitike was taken off on a stretcher in the first half of their Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on Tuesday night
20:08, 15 Apr 2026Updated 20:39, 15 Apr 2026
Hugo Ekitike will miss the rest of Liverpool’s season with an injury.
Didier Deschamps has confirmed Hugo Ekitike has been ruled out of France’s World Cup squad this summer after picking up an injury in Liverpool’s defeat to PSG. The French side ran out 2-0 winners at Anfield in the Champions League, with Ekitike leading the line for the Reds.
However, the French forward went down in the 27th minute with a suspected Achilles injury, and he was replaced by Mohamed Salah just after the half-hour mark. Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted the injury looked serious, and now Deschamps has confirmed Ekitike’s season is over.
In a statement, Deschamps said: “Hugo suffered a serious injury on Tuesday evening against PSG. The severity of his injury will unfortunately prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and participating in the World Cup.
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“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.”
Hugo Ekitike’s season looks over after picking up an injury in Liverpool’s defeat to PSG.
Ekitike will now play no part in France’s World Cup campaign over in the United States, Mexico and Canda, with Deschamps’ side looking to reclaim their crown after winning the 2018 World Cup, before they were beaten by Argentina in Qatar in 2022.
The exact timeframe of the Frenchman’s injury is unclear and Liverpool are yet to comment on the setback, but reports are suggesting he could be sidelined until as late as 2027.
Speaking to Amazon Prime, Slot said: “[It’s] not too good, we could all see that he didn’t look well and didn’t look right. We can all see it didn’t look good. In the second-half he went home and I didn’t see him.
“Again as it seems, losing a player is something we’ve had a lot this season. It’s very hard for him because you never want to be injured at this time of the season.”
Fellow French international Ibrahima Konate said: “I am very sad for him, and I hope he will come back. I think it’s bad. I don’t know.
“I heard many things. With the World Cup, all the things coming this summer, it’s very hard for him at this moment – and I send him my prayers.”
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