Hugo Ekitike has stated that he has come to terms with the ruptured Achilles injury that prematurely ended his debut season at Liverpool and prevented him from representing France at the 2026 World Cup. The 24-year-old striker suffered the serious injury during a Champions League quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on April 14, 2026, which cut short a campaign where he emerged as Liverpool's top scorer with 17 goals across all competitions.
Injury Details and Impact
The injury not only sidelined Ekitike for the remainder of Liverpool's season but also ruled him out of the World Cup, where France were among the favorites. He watched from holiday as his compatriots advanced to the semi-finals under manager Didier Deschamps, where they are set to face Spain on Tuesday.
In an interview with British GQ, conducted during a visit to Wimbledon's Centre Court on Friday, Ekitike reflected on his situation: "Obviously I'm in touch with them (the France squad) but not a lot because they're busy playing and I'm busy with my recovery. I wish I was there, but that's life. I am where I am, and sometimes everybody has to deal with stuff."
Acceptance and Support for France
Ekitike expressed acceptance of his fate and support for his national team: "That's my challenge and I accepted it so I'm happy for them and I hope they're going to reach the final, win it, and bring the cup back to France." The striker, who previously played for Paris Saint-Germain before joining Liverpool, has been undergoing rehabilitation at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre, where he attended an assessment earlier this week to monitor his progress over three months post-injury.
Wimbledon Visit and Tennis Passion
During his Wimbledon visit, Ekitike watched defending champion Jannik Sinner defeat Novak Djokovic to set up a final with Alexander Zverev. He shared his appreciation for tennis: "It's my first official game to go watch and have good seats and everything. Honestly, it's not something I've shown a lot but I really like tennis. It's the kind of sport like boxing where it's very individual. And I like the fact that you have to deal with pressure for three, four, five hours in a game. It's going to be intense, but I'm glad to be here."
