France forward Hugo Ekitike is set to miss the upcoming FIFA World Cup after reportedly suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 23-year-old sustained the injury on Tuesday night at Anfield, where Liverpool were beaten 2-0 in the quarter-final second leg, crashing out of the competition with a 4-0 aggregate loss. Ekitike signalled immediately to his Achilles as medical staff rushed onto the pitch, before he was stretchered off in concerning scenes.
According to French outlets Le Parisien and L’Equipe, the severity of the injury will sideline the striker for several months, ruling him out of international duty this summer. The French Football Federation (FFF) has yet to release an official statement.
Ekitike has been a key figure for Liverpool this season following his £69 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt in July. The Frenchman has scored 17 goals across all competitions, quickly establishing himself as an important attacking option.
His absence will be a significant blow for France ahead of the World Cup, which takes place across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
