Hugo Ekitike has finally realized his dream of joining the French national team, following an unfortunate injury to Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki.
Initially, Ekitike was not included in Didier Deschamps' 23-man squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland in early September. This came as a surprise to many, especially considering the striker's impressive form with Liverpool netting three goals and providing one assist in his first four matches.
Deschamps had only called up one debutant at the time, AS Monaco midfielder Maghnes Akliouche, leaving Ekitike out despite his strong performances. The omission even sparked rumors that Ekitike was considering switching allegiances to Cameroon, the country of his parents.
However, fate had other plans. Rayan Cherki suffered a serious left thigh injury during training last week and has been ruled out for approximately two months. As a result, Deschamps turned to Ekitike to fill the vacant spot.
This marks a major opportunity for Ekitike to earn his first senior cap with Les Bleus, having previously represented France at youth levels, including the U-20 and U-21 teams.
He'll be joining fellow Liverpool teammate Ibrahima Konaté in the squad although Konaté himself is currently a doubt after picking up a knock in the recent match against Arsenal.
