France and Liverpool forward Ekitike suffers blow to World Cup hopes

France and Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike has sustained an injury that threatens his chances of making the national squad for the upcoming World Cup. The setback arrives at a critical juncture in the qualification window, leaving the 21-year-old attacker facing a race against time to prove his fitness to national-team selectors.

Ekitike, who joined Liverpool during the summer transfer window, had been viewed as a potential wildcard option for the defending champions after a string of lively cameos at club level. The knock, details of which have not yet been released, could sideline him for several weeks and may force manager Didier Deschamps to look elsewhere when finalizing his roster.

The news represents a significant personal blow for the former Reims prodigy, who had spoken publicly of his ambition to earn a maiden senior cap on the sport’s biggest stage. With France blessed with depth across the forward line, any prolonged absence could see Ekitike miss the tournament entirely.

Liverpool medical staff are liaising with their French Football Federation counterparts to determine the exact recovery timeline, but early indications suggest the player faces an uphill battle to feature in Qatar. Further updates on his condition are expected once additional scans have been completed.