Hugo Ekitike will always remember the evening of 13 November 2025, each on a person and a collective stage.
The Liverpool striker was named on the substitutes’ bench for France of their World Cup qualifier towards Ukraine on Thursday evening, with Les Bleus figuring out {that a} win would verify their place on the finals subsequent summer time.
The match was within the steadiness at 1-0 when the 23-year-old was introduced on halfway via the second half, however three additional targets ensured that Didier Deschamps’ facet ultimately cruised to victory.
Ekitike scores first purpose for France
Two minutes from the tip of regular time, Ekitike burst ahead on a prolonged solo run from the midway line to the sting of the penalty space.
He then performed a neat one-two with Kylian Mbappe (a scorer of two targets for France tonight) earlier than slotting an assured first-time end past Anatoliy Trubin to spherical off the scoring for Les Bleus, within the course of netting his first purpose for his nation.
Ekitike places his hand up for a spot in World Cup squad
Ibrahima Konate spoke earlier this week of how he cajoled Ekitike into placing in further gymnasium work at Liverpool to earn his first France call-up in September, and the motivational speech has definitely had the specified impact!
The run from deep and the execution of the end illustrated the arrogance that’s coursing via the veins of the striker, who’s at the moment the Reds’ high scorer for the season thus far, making an instantaneous affect since becoming a member of from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summertime.
Along with his purpose towards Ukraine, the 23-year-old received 4 of his six duels and accomplished 100% of his dribbles, and solely the woodwork denied him a brace in a extremely impactful look off the bench for his nation (Sofascore).
Given the extraordinary attacking wealth at Deschamps’ disposal, Ekitike might want to preserve producing the products if he’s to carve out a beginning berth for Les Bleus, however his brilliantly-taken purpose tonight ought to go some solution to making certain him a seat on the aircraft to North America subsequent summer time.
You possibly can view Ekitike’s purpose towards Ukraine beneath, taken from FS2’s match protection and shared through @TheGoalsZone on X:
🚨🌍 | GOAL: HUGO EKITIKE MAKES IT FOUR FOR FRANCE!
🇫🇷 France 4-0 Ukraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/fBZOFxibIg
— TheGoalsZone ✨ (@TheGoalsZone) November 13, 2025
You possibly can watch Slot’s full post-Man Metropolis press convention through Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
