Hugo Ekitike injury update: Liverpool and France striker to miss World Cup with Achilles rupture, per reports

Hugo Ekitike injury update: Liverpool and France striker to miss World Cup with Achilles rupture, per reports originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Liverpool have endured a difficult 2025/26 season, struggling to recreate the heights they reached the previous year as they romped to the Premier League title.

Struggling to entrench themselves in a Champions League qualifying position in the domestic standings this time around, Arne Slot has dealt with significant adversity this season, from Premier League struggles to a Champions League quarterfinal exit to multiple injuries across the board.

The summer transfer arrivals had it worst on the injury front, as Alexander Isak went down with a broken leg shortly into his Liverpool tenure. Then, like clockwork, in Isak's first start back after his lengthy recovery, Hugo Ekitike has suffered a long-term injury of his own.

The Sporting News details what has befallen the France international striker and when he could return, understanding that more will become clear in the coming days, weeks, and months as his recovery progresses.

MORE:Liverpool injury updates and team news ahead of their next match

What is Hugo Ekitike's injury?

According to French publication L'Equipe, Hugo Ekitike has suffered a tear of the Achilles tendon in his right ankle.

Ekitike was injured in the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League quarterfinal against defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain. He landed awkwardly on his ankle and fell to the ground, needing to be stretchered off the pitch.

The 23-year-old is international teammates with many of the players on French giants PSG, and his injury clearly affected both the opponents and his club teammates, who came over to console him on the pitch.

The likes of Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué, and Ousmane Dembélé know Ekitike personally from their time with the French national team. Additionally, Ekitike spent the 2022–23 season with PSG, so many other players at the club are also familiar with him on a personal level.

The injury means that Ekitike will be absent for a number of months as he begins a lengthy recovery process from a long-term injury.

Will Hugo Ekitike miss the World Cup?

If an Achilles rupture is confirmed, then Hugo Ekitike will indeed miss the entirety of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In fact, he will miss a significant portion of time, likely in the range of nine months, as an Achilles injury is one of the most serious injuries a football player can suffer. As the L'Equipe report notes, Achilles tendon ruptures can heal in a minimum of six months but traditionally can take between nine and twelve months to fully recover from.

Ekitike only has eight international caps for France, but he was expected to factor heavily into the Bleus' World Cup plans. He saw time in each of France's six World Cup qualifying matches, as well as both of their recent March international friendlies against Brazil and Colombia, scoring in the former after being named to the starting lineup.

When will Hugo Ekitike be back for Liverpool?

As previously stated, Hugo Ekitike is likely to miss significant time for both club and country.

Ekitike will likely be absent for the rest of the 2026 calendar year, meaning he will miss the first half of next season with Liverpool, and possibly more depending on how his recovery goes. He could return sometime in late 2026 if all goes well, or early 2027 if he needs more time.

As he will not be able to ramp up with the rest of the team in preseason, it is likely that Ekitike will be brought back slowly, needing multiple matches off the bench before he can be deemed fit for a starting role.

How much did Liverpool pay for Hugo Ekitike?

Liverpool acquired Hugo Ekitike in the summer of 2025, shelling out €95 million ($112m / £82.6m) to acquire his signature from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Upon his arrival, Ekitike signed a six-year contract that runs through the summer of 2031.