Hugo Ekitike will get to emulate two ex-LFC strikers this week after symbolic Deschamps gesture | OneFootball

Hugo Ekitike only made his debut for France a month ago, but one gesture by Didier Deschamps suggests that the Liverpool striker is now at the forefront of the national team manager’s thinking.

The 23-year-old has made a bright start to life at Anfield, with five goals in his first 10 appearances making him the Reds’ top scorer so far this season, although he blotted his copybook by getting sent off in bizarre circumstances against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

That indiscretion didn’t prevent him from getting called up for Les Bleus, though, and our number 22 has now linked up with his country for their World Cup qualifying double header against Azerbaijan (Friday) and Iceland (next Monday).

Ekitike handed number 9 shirt for France

On Tuesday morning, a French journalist shared a snippet of news which bodes well for Ekitike ahead of those two matches.

Ilies Peeters of 90min posted on X (translated): ‘Hugo Ekitike will wear the number 9 for the French national team this month for the matches against Azerbaijan and Iceland.’

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ekitike will get to emulate two ex-Liverpool strikers

With Marcus Thuram sidelined through injury, the no.9 shirt for France had been left vacant, and it appears to represent a strong show of faith by Deschamps to hand it to Ekitike for this month’s fixtures.

The 23-year-old is set to follow in the footsteps of two former Liverpool strikers in Nicolas Anelka and Djibril Cisse, both of whom also wore that esteemed shirt number for Les Bleus, along with prominent forwards such as Olivier Giroud and (in previous generations) Luis Fernandez and Raymond Kopa (Transfermarkt).

The Reds centre-forward might have to settle for a place on the bench in deference to Kylian Mbappe, although Deschamps might give him the nod to start at home to bottom-placed Azerbaijan on Friday.

In any case, there seems a strong chance of Ekitike playing some part in both matches, even with the obscene riches that France have in attack, and to do so with the number 9 on his back could make the LFC star feel 10 foot tall psychologically.

If he does score for his country over the next week, we can surely assume he won’t whip off his shirt in celebration this time, especially if he’s already on a yellow card!