Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Hugo Ekitike will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after picking up a suspected Achilles injury in Liverpool’s Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

The 23-year-old forward left the field on a stretcher at Anfield. Early reports suggest he could be out for a long time, possibly missing the start of next season. He had scans on Wednesday to find out how serious the injury is.

Deschamps called the injury a major setback in a statement from the French Football Federation.

“Hugo sustained a serious injury against PSG, which will unfortunately rule him out for the rest of the season and the World Cup,” he said. Deschamps also shared that the national team staff fully support Ekitike.

Ekitike joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last July and has been one of the team’s top performers this season, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists in all competitions.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said the injury looked serious and called it another big setback in an already tough season for the club.

Ekitike was expected to play an important role for France, possibly lining up with stars like Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé in the attack.

Doctors will check if the injury is a partial or complete Achilles rupture. Depending on the outcome, Ekitike could be out for 6 months to 1 year.

This injury is a big blow for both France’s World Cup hopes and Liverpool, who may have to rethink their attacking plans for next season.