'I suffered the same injury as Hugo Ekitike - here's exactly what he's in for'

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Hugo Ekitike is expected to miss a year's worth of football after suffering an Achilles tear in Tuesday's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and our colleague Rudi Kinsella knows what he's dealing withEkitike clearly knew how bad the injury was straight away(Image: 2026 Alex Livesey - Danehouse)Tuesday night's Champions League action saw Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike suffer an Achilles tear during a quarter-final defeat to PSG.While it was a tough night for Liverpool as a whole, it was even worse for Ekitike on a personal level, as an Achilles tear is often seen as one of the worst injuries a player can suffer.Many online were quick to speculate about his World Cup chances, as he was expected to play a part in France's attempt to win the coveted trophy this summer. However, he can kiss those dreams goodbye - if he's like me, he'll be unable to walk when the World Cup starts.

I also suffered the tear while playing soccer - albeit at a vastly different level - at the beginning of January.READ MORE: Liverpool 'accelerates' efforts to keep Dominik Szoboszlai despite Real Madrid interestREAD MORE: Mohamed Salah's dream Liverpool farewell in tatters after PSG defeatOver three months later, I have just begun walking again out of a protective boot. But I'm assured the strength will return if I follow quite a strict and arduous rehab program.The restricted boot really impacts day-to-day life, and it will for Hugo Ekitike too(Image: Rudi Kinsella)The impact on Rudi Kinsella's leg is clear to see after his Achilles tearI essentially need to relearn how to walk.

But it was the mental battle that I struggled with.Playing soccer was my favorite thing to do, and with my 30s on the horizon, an injury like this probably meant retirement. Not to mention being unable to drive a car or live an active life for weeks on end.Ekitike is extremely unlikely to have to worry about retirement as a result of this injury, but he will have other concerns that I didn't have.READ MORE: Keir Starmer confronted by Hillsborough survivor hours after Arne Slot called him outREAD MORE: Virgil van Dijk is right about Liverpool 'bare minimum' - what Arne Slot needs next is clearSoccer is a ruthless sport.