The French national team surprisingly left out the Premier League sensation

Coach Didier Deschamps recently announced the French national squad for the upcoming FIFA international windows, and surprisingly, a star performing well in the Premier League was not called up this time.

Joining Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last July for a fee of £79 million (about $106.2 million), Hugo Ekitike quickly proved his worth. In his debut match at the Community Shield against Crystal Palace, the 23-year-old striker scored his first goal just 228 seconds after kickoff.

Ekitike continued his impressive form by scoring against Bournemouth and Newcastle United, becoming the first Liverpool player since Daniel Sturridge in 2013 to score in the first three consecutive matches of a season. This achievement earned him much praise from experts and fans alike, making him the focal point at Anfield.

Although acknowledging that he is closely monitoring Ekitike’s performance, Coach Didier Deschamps decided not to call him up for the September squad. The 55-year-old manager stated: “Hugo, with what he has shown at Frankfurt and Liverpool, we have been watching him for a long time. It’s great for him to be performing well, but the French team has many options. I can’t overload the attack, but Hugo has the potential to be part of the team in the future.”

Currently, Kylian Mbappe remains the captain and main striker of the French team, while Marcus Thuram, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, and Maghnes Akliouche all have Deschamps’ trust. Notably, Akliouche from Monaco, despite lacking international experience, is preferred over Ekitike due to his versatility and ability to play wide.

Missing out on the national team might disappoint Ekitike, but Liverpool coach Arne Slot has reasons to be pleased. The 23-year-old attacking star will get rest time while his teammates are on international duty, allowing him to maintain fitness and goal-scoring form for the upcoming Premier League matches.

Based on his performances, Ekitike will definitely remain in Didier Deschamps’ long-term plans. If he keeps up his current scoring rate, the opportunity to wear the Les Bleus jersey in future qualifiers or even at the 2026 World Cup finals remains very much open for him.