Hugo Ekitike’s hopes of playing for France at the 2026 World Cup are over after he ruptured his Achilles tendon playing against PSG in the Champions League.
The French striker missed the last 60 minutes of the first leg against PSG when his Achilles tendon ruptured while he attempted to win a ground duel in the first half.
It wasn’t the only injury for Liverpool or PSG as Nuno Mendes and Joe Gomez were struck by injury and withdrawn.
According to widespread reports, including French media outlet L’Equipe, Hugo Ekitike has suffered an Achilles rupture, and is now facing a nine-month spell on the sidelines.
They report: “He will need surgery. In the best-case scenario for a professional player, surgery means nine months to return to the field,” estimatedDr. Nicolas Baudrier , a specialist in tendon and ligament surgery of the ankle, on Tuesday evening. A new challenge, far from the one he had hoped for, thus begins for Ekitike.”
??? BREAKING: Hugo Ekitike will be OUT of the 2026 World Cup, confirmed. ???
Season over for Liverpool striker; sources close to the player expect Hugo to be back in 8-9 months time with Achilles tendon injury, as L’Equipé reported. pic.twitter.com/UPqlDR72hg
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 15, 2026
The World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA is set to take place in less than two months, but there is now zero chance 23-year-old Ekitike will be fit enough to play in the tournament. It’s a gutting blow for one of the most exciting young players set to take part.
Ekitike is now facing surgery to repair the damage, but with Achilles injuries being some of the most fatal to any athlete’s career, Liverpool will need to take particular care in his recovery.
Ekitike’s injury history is fine, this was a freak accident
While one would immediately look at a player’s injury history to ascertain if there were any clues that this type of injury was on the horizon, Ekitike’s injury history is alright.
In his senior career, his injury record is:
25/26 – Achilles tendon rupture (9 months potentially*)
25/26 – Thigh problems (9 days)
24/25 – Inner ligament stretch of the knee (10 days)
24/25 – Knock (5 days)
23/25 – Muscular problems (8 days)
21/22 – Hamstring injury (69 days)
*Ekitike may return sooner or later. 9 months is the projected layoff.
To date, the injury he suffered when he was 19 is the longest he has been injured, with most of his injuries being superficial and commonplace among footballers.
This season, Ekitike played 45 games for Liverpool, for a total of 2,872 minutes. Last season, he played 48 games for a total of 3,644 minutes of playing time.
This is a decrease of 12 minutes per game on average. However, the intensity of football in England may have increased the stress his body has been under compared to life at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
Overall, it’s fair to say this is a freak accident purely down to bad luck based on the available data.
It’s a crushing blow for both Liverpool and Ekitike, but with the striker now set to miss his first World Cup, it’s a player’s worst nightmare. With 39 goals and 18 assists in his last two seasons, he would have been a brilliant player for Didier Deschamps to have in his squad this summer.