World Cup heartbreak: Ekitike joins big names set to miss 2026 tournament through injury
World Cup heartbreak: Ekitike joins big names set to miss 2026 tournament through injury Hugo Ekitike is set to miss the 2026 World Cup after suffering an Achilles injury this week. The forward was stretchered from the pitch during Liverpool 's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and is expected to face several months on the sidelines. It marks a major disappointment for Ekitike, who has broken into the France set-up in recent months.
The 23-year-old has scored twice in eight caps since his debut in September. Ekitike is not the only player set to watch with frustration from the sidelines this summer. Top players set to miss the 2026 World Cup through injury Rodrygo Rodrygo called his ACL injury 'one of the worst days of my life' after the knee issue curtailed his campaign and World Cup hopes this month.
A frustrating season for the Brazilian ended prematurely, after knee discomfort revealed an ACL issue. The 25-year-old will play no part in Brazil's challenge this summer, as Carlo Ancelotti's side bid for a record-extending sixth world title. "One of the worst days of my life, how much I always feared this injury," Rodrygo wrote in a social media post.
"Maybe life has been a little cruel to me lately. I don't know if I deserve this, but what can I complain about? How many wonderful things I've experienced that I didn't deserve either.
"A major obstacle has arisen in my life, in my career, which prevents me from doing what I love most for a certain period of time. "I'm out of the rest of the season with my club and out of the World Cup with my country, a dream that everyone knows how much it means to me. And all I can do is be strong as always; this is nothing new.