Hugo Ekitike was born on 20 June 2002 in Reims, France, to a Cameroonian father and a French mother. He began his youth career at local club Cormontreuil FC before joining the Stade de Reims academy in 2013. He signed his first professional contract with Reims in 2020 and made his senior debut that same year, going on to establish himself as one of the more promising young forwards in French football.
A loan move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2022 brought him his first Ligue 1 title, and he contributed four goals and four assists across 32 appearances. After PSG made his transfer permanent, he was subsequently loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt in February 2024, where a strong first full season — 15 goals in 33 Bundesliga games — earned him a place in the 2024–25 Bundesliga Team of the Season and helped Frankfurt finish third in the league.
A pacy, direct forward with the ability to score from range and with both feet, Ekitike attracted significant interest before Liverpool signed him in July 2025 for an initial fee of €80 million on a six-year contract. He marked his arrival by scoring in the FA Community Shield and netting on his Premier League debut against Bournemouth.
On the international stage, Ekitike received his first senior France call-up in August 2025 and made his debut in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in September of that year. He scored his first senior international goal in a 4–0 win over Ukraine in November 2025, helping France secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.