Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike suffered a full Achilles tendon rupture during Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The injury occurred when he slipped on the playing surface, forcing him off the field on a stretcher. Ekitike will miss France’s 2026 World Cup squad and upcoming international fixtures due to the severity of the damage. An Achilles rupture can produce a ‘popping’ sound at the moment of injury and may require surgery for elite athletes. Rehabilitation from an Achilles tear can take six to eight months, similar to ACL recovery timelines.