Hugo Ekitike, the 23-year-old French striker, is set to miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after rupturing his Achilles tendon during Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. The injury occurred after just 30 minutes of play at Anfield, when Ekitike collapsed to the ground while accelerating into a sprint, immediately clutching his right lower leg. He was stretchered off the pitch as players from both sides gathered around him in concern. Liverpool went on to lose the match 2-0, exiting the competition with a 4-0 aggregate defeat.

Ekitike joined Liverpool last July from German club Eintracht Frankfurt for approximately £69 million ($93.5m), making him one of the club's marquee summer signings alongside Swedish forward Alexander Isak and German playmaker Florian Wirtz. Despite the disruptions of his debut season, the striker had contributed 17 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions. Liverpool manager Arne Slot was candid in his assessment after the match, saying the injury