Hugo Ekitike, the Liverpool and France forward, will miss the World Cup after sustaining a ruptured Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s Champions League match against Paris St Germain.
The injury occurred in the 27th minute at Anfield, forcing Ekitike to be stretchered off the field. France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed the news on Wednesday, as did Liverpool on Thursday, stating he will also miss the remainder of the season.
Ekitike has been a key player for Liverpool this season, scoring 19 goals for both club and country, including a goal in France’s recent 2-1 victory over Brazil. Initial assessments following the 2-0 defeat, which secured a 4-0 aggregate win for PSG, indicated the injury looked “really bad.”
Reports from French newspapers Le Parisien and L’Equipe also confirmed the ruptured Achilles, ending the striker’s hopes of participating in the upcoming World Cup.