“I was alone…” – Hugo Ekitike opens up on ‘hardest time of my life’
Hugo Ekitike has been speaking candidly about the challenges of adapting to life away from football, offering a rare insight into the mental side of being a professional.
Signed from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer, the forward has already impressed on the pitch with a brace against Brighton to keep our unbeaten run alive, yet the Frenchman’s reflections go far beyond goals and assists.
Ekitike’s journey through different countries
At just 23, the striker has already lived and played in four different countries: France, Denmark, Germany and now England.
“When I was in Denmark, probably the hardest time of my life,” he explained via All Red Video.
“I was in a different country, COVID time. I was alone. Just learning life, it was not even about football, it was about learning life, being able to live with yourself.”
He told Rubi Deschamps that embracing these challenges made him mentally stronger and more prepared for difficulties, offering advice to young players considering moving away from their comfort zones.
“If I have one advice to give, it’s like when you think it’s crazy to do something, do it,” he said.
Ekitike’s journey ties into his earlier comments about how life has changed at Liverpool, where he admitted his world “changed completely” and he is now “even more famous” back home.
Ekitike’s lessons for young Liverpool players
The France international stressed that stepping into new cultures and leagues teaches resilience, a quality essential at Anfield under Arne Slot.
“You always learn something, and I think that makes me better,” he added.
It’s a philosophy reflected in his performances; Ekitike’s brace against Brighton brought his tally to 10 goals in all competitions and demonstrated why Olivier Giroud believes he “has a good chance of being called for the World Cup.”
For us, the episode is more than a player diary. It is a reminder of the mental toughness required to thrive at Liverpool and the personal growth that comes from embracing challenges away from the spotlight.
By sharing his experience, Ekitike offers a template for young people to manage life, football, and everything in between.
You can watch Slot’s post-Brighton press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
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