The end of Ikitiki’s season with Liverpool… his injury is serious, and the World Cup is a “dream that has evaporated”

Defending English Premier League champion Liverpool confirmed, after France, on Thursday, that its striker Ugo Ekitike will miss the remainder of the season in addition to the 2026 World Cup, after suffering a serious injury during the loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
The 23-year-old player fell to the ground holding his lower right leg during the first half of Liverpool’s 0-2 loss to European champion Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the quarter-finals at Anfield on Tuesday, and was forced to leave the field.
A brief statement issued by Liverpool on Thursday said that tests later confirmed that he had a “ruptured Achilles tendon.”
The statement added: “Accordingly, Equitike will miss the remaining weeks of the club’s season and will not be able to participate in this summer’s World Cup with France.”
Liverpool did not specify any timetable for Equitike’s recovery, saying only that “developments will be announced at the appropriate time, with Ugo receiving the full support of everyone at Liverpool.”
Liverpool’s statement came after France coach Didier Deschamps announced on Wednesday that Ekitikeh would be absent from the World Cup.
“Unfortunately, the severity of (Equitique’s) injury will prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and participating in the World Cup,” Deschamps said in a statement issued by the French Football Federation.
He continued, “This injury is a severe blow to him, of course, but it is also to the French team. I wanted to express my full support for him, as well as the support of the entire technical staff.”
Ekitike scored 17 goals in 45 matches in various competitions with Liverpool since joining Anfield for 79 million pounds ($105.5 million) last summer.
Since playing his first international match with France in the World Cup qualifiers last September, Ekitike has become a key member of the two-time world champions, scoring two goals and providing one assist in eight international matches.
Liverpool’s Dutch coach Arne Sloat said after Tuesday’s match: “It looks very bad, but it is difficult for me to say to what extent.”
Injuries were a major factor in a disastrous season for Liverpool, as it occupies fifth place in the local league, and will end the season without titles.
Slott continued: “Losing a player is something we have experienced many times this season, but it is especially tough for him, because you never want to suffer an injury, especially at this time of the season.”