France boss Didier Deschamps has revealed that Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike will miss this summer’s World Cup after suffering a season-ending injury against Paris Saint-Germain.
The 23-year-old damaged his ankle during the first half of Tuesday night’s 2-0 Champions League quarter-final second-leg defeat by the holders at Anfield and the full extent of the injury became clear on Wednesday.
In a post on the France national team’s official X account, Deschamps said: “Hugo suffered a serious injury on Tuesday night against PSG.
“The severity of his injury will unfortunately prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and from participating in the World Cup.
3CTYD64 Wroclaw, Poland. 05th Sep, 2025. Hugo Ekitike of France seen during European World Cup Qualifiers 2026 football match between Ukraine and France at Stadium Wroclaw (Wroclaw). Final score Ukraine 0 : 2 France (Photo by Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News
“Hugo is one of about 10 young players who have made their debuts for the national team in recent months.
“He had integrated perfectly into the group, both on and off the pitch. This injury is a huge blow for him, of course, but also for the French national team.
“His disappointment is immense. Hugo will get back to his best, I’m sure of it. But I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as that of the entire staff.
“We know he will be fully behind the French team and we are all thinking of him.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike is check up on by team-mates Milos Kerkez and captain Virgil van Dijk (R) as he stretchered off with a suspected Achilles injury during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Ekitike, a £69 million summer signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, was carried from the field on a stretcher 31 minutes into Tuesday’s game with a suspected Achilles tendon injury.
Speaking after the game, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said: “Hugo looks really bad, but it’s difficult for me to say how bad.
“Tomorrow we will investigate this further, [see] how bad this is for him. Let’s see – but it doesn’t look good.”
France are due to open their Group I campaign against Senegal in New Jersey on June 16 before facing Iraq in Philadelphia and Norway in Boston.
How long will Hugo Ekitike be out with Achilles rupture?
The expectation is that Ekitike’s recovery will take between nine and 12 months, which means his earliest return date would be January 2027 and the latest April 2027.
Medical Recovery: Achilles Tendon Rupture
Timeline Rehab Phase Activity Level
Weeks 0–2 Post-Op Protection: Focus on wound healing. Non-weight bearing in a splint/cast. Total Immobilisation
Weeks 3–6 Early Loading: Walking boot with wedges. Gentle isometric contractions to slow calf atrophy. Partial weight-bearing
Weeks 7–12 Tendon Strengthening: Weaning off the boot. Focus on restoring normal gait and ankle mobility. Gym-based eccentric loading
Months 4–6 Impact Loading: Introduction of ‘Alter-G’ (anti-gravity) running and double-leg jumping. Return to outdoor running
Months 7–9 Sport-Specific: Plyometric drills, high-speed sprinting, and multi-directional ‘cutting’. Non-contact team training
Months 10+ Return to Play: Full competitive clearance. Calf power must be within 90% of the uninjured side. Full Match Fitness
The Verdict: While most players can ‘run’ after 6 months, the primary medical challenge with the Achilles is the loss of propulsion. It usually takes a full 12 months for a player to trust their calf enough to engage in the explosive 1v1 duels that Ekitike relies on.