Shock for 'blockbuster' Hugo Ekitike

British media reported that Hugo Ekitike was not called up by coach Didier Deschamps to the French national team for the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches in September.

Ekitike may consider Cameroon if he is not called up to the French national team.

Ekitike moved to Anfield this summer and has quickly proved his worth, scoring in both Premier League games and netting in Liverpool's defeat in the Community Shield. However, those performances have not been enough to convince Deschamps.

According to L'Équipe , the strategist who led France to the 2018 World Cup championship said it was still "too early" to call up Ekitike, even though the 23-year-old striker maintained stable form for both Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool.

Ekitike could consider playing for Cameroon, a country he is eligible to play for. Although Ekitike's previous goal was to play for Les Bleus, the opportunity to play for Cameroon has become more attractive, especially since the African team finished second in Group D of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers behind Cape Verde.

The French team currently has a quality attack with the leading pair of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, but there is also fierce competition with names like Rayan Cherki, Michael Olise or Desire Doue. Therefore, Ekitike will hardly have a starting position if he is called up to the team in the future.

The coming time is an opportunity for Ekitike to reshape his international career path, moving from "Les Bleus" to Cameroon. Here, he can completely shine and become a pillar of the African team in major tournaments.

Source: https://znews.vn/cu-soc-cho-bom-tan-hugo-ekitike-post1580587.html