We are not second choice — Cameroon boss also snubs Liverpool’s Ekitike after France disappointment

Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitiké has found himself stuck between two worlds, and right now neither wants him.

After Didier Deschamps left him out of France’s latest squad, Cameroon coach Marc Brys has also made it clear that the Indomitable Lions will not be rolling out the welcome mat.

Marc Brys, preparing Cameroon for crucial World Cup qualifiers against Eswatini and Cape Verde in September, delivered a blunt message when asked about Ekitiké.

“I didn’t contact him. He put all his money into trying to play with France but he didn’t succeed. And now we, Cameroon, are the second choice? I don’t need to be a second choice,” he snapped.

The 62-year-old coach doubled down, stressing that his squad is built on passion, not celebrity names. “He doesn’t deserve to come here. We have good players who play with their heart. I don’t need a star.”

That statement leaves no doubt that, at least while Brys is in charge, Ekitiké’s Cameroonian eligibility is firmly closed.

Ekitiké, born in Reims to a Cameroonian father and French mother, had the luxury of choosing between two footballing powerhouses.

But his gamble on Les Bleus hasn’t paid off. Despite a strong start at Liverpool, scoring in each of his first three competitive games after a €95 million move from Frankfurt, Deschamps ignored him when naming France’s squad for September qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland.

The 23-year-old, once a youth international star with 11 caps and five goals for France U-21s, now faces a difficult reality: international football may be out of reach, for now.

With France stacked with attacking talent and Cameroon unwilling to play second fiddle, Ekitiké’s rise at Liverpool will need to continue if he hopes to change minds.