Five stories that could impact World Cup: Hugo Ekitike's injury, Bukayo Saka's absence, Bayern win again

The Liverpool striker suffered a serious injury that will force him to miss the 2026 World Cup with France

The 2026 World Cup is approaching, and as the club season nears its conclusion, developments across the soccer world are already shaping the squads set to travel to the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer. Injuries, and players performing well or struggling can also have an impact on the managers and their final decisions about the rosters. Let's now take a look at the five most interesting stories of the week about the World Cup: 

Ekitike to miss the World Cup

We start with bad news coming from the week of international soccer around Europe as Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike was forced off at the 31st minute of the Champions League quarterfinals in the second leg against PSG at Anfield. The English club confirmed the following day that the French striker has suffered a serious injury, rupturing his Achilles tendon, which will take him out for the next nine months, meaning he will also miss the 2026 World Cup with the French national team. Speaking about the devastating news, Ekitike posted on his social media a message to the fans, saying, "it's hard, maybe even unfair, but I'm grateful this is happening to me here, among you. I'm not alone. Your strength and your love will be my driving force. See you again soon, Anfield."

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What's going on with Bukayo Saka? 

There are growing questions about the injury status of Arsenal striker Bukayo Saka, who missed the biggest Premier League game of the season as Manchester City topped the Gunners 2-1 on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium. Manager Mikel Arteta keeps saying that Saka is expected to return soon despite ongoing fitness concerns. The England forward has already missed Arsenal's last six matches across all competitions due to discomfort in his Achilles tendon, an issue that could also trouble national team coach Thomas Tuchel ahead of the World Cup, where Saka is expected to play a leading role for England this summer. 

Matarazzo makes history

One of the greatest stories of the week comes from Spain where American manager Pellegrino Matarazzo won the Copa del Rey final with Real Sociedad after penalties against Atletico Madrid, becoming the first ever US coach to win a major cup in the top five European leagues. An incredible achievement that resonates across the entire American soccer landscape ahead of the World Cup, where Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT will be aiming to make history on home soil in what will be only their second time hosting the tournament, following the 1994 World Cup.

🎙️ "Estoy muy agradecido de ser el entrenador de este equipo". 🗣️ Pellegrino Matarazzo, entrenador de la @RealSociedad.#CopaDelReyMapfre | #LaCopaMola🏆 pic.twitter.com/WJLYwP1K3M

— RFEF (@rfef) April 18, 2026

Matarazzo was among the candidates for the USMNT job in 2024 before Pochettino was appointed, but as he mentioned in the post-game interview, he's now fully focused on Real Sociedad, where he took over last December. "I hope that we continue to stay ambitious because we still have seven games left in La Liga, and we can do more. I'm not done yet, and hopefully we are not done yet. I'm very grateful to be manager of this club, very, very grateful. Being part of its history now is, of course, something special, and I'm also very grateful to have this team, these players, this staff, this club. It's a product of the work we've done together in the past weeks."

Bayern Munich win again 

There was another team celebrating over the weekend, though this time it came as little surprise. Bayern Munich secured another Bundesliga title, the 35th in their history and a second consecutive one under manager Vincent Kompany. Attention now turns to the Champions League semifinals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning 2025 champions. At the same time, there are concerns about the injury of Serge Gnabry, who is expected to miss the remainder of the season, putting in serious doubt his availability for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

This is a Kompany stan account 😤 pic.twitter.com/5C4gQHJnRP

— 🇺🇸 FC Bayern US 🇨🇦 (@FCBayernUS) April 19, 2026

Tim Ream's injury worries the USMNT

USMNT defender Tim Ream left the pitch during the Charlotte FC's win at New York City FC over the weekend with a groin issue, raising concerns about his form ahead of the World Cup. Charlotte manager Dean Smith spoke about his injury after the game.

"Tim felt something after about 30 minutes in his groin. He managed to get through it, but we didn't want to risk in the second half." 

His injury could influence Mauricio Pochettino's squad decisions ahead of the tournament. Ream started every U.S. match at both the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America under Gregg Berhalter, and has remained a key figure starting 18 of Pochettino's 24 games since he took charge in October 2024. He is widely regarded as one of the team's leaders heading into this summer's competition.