This paper examines the relationship between ethnocentrism and motivation in language learning, focusing on the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs of the L2 Motivational Self System. Additionally, the study examined the potential moderating effect of gender on the relationships between ethnocentrism and both the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2-Self constructs. The study included 113 students. Two questionnaires were used to collect data: an ethnocentrism questionnaire and a questionnaire assessing the Ideal L2-Self and Ought to L2Self constructs. The results revealed a negative correlation between ethnocentrism and the Ideal L2-Self construct, indicating that as ethnocentrism increased, learners' ideal selves in terms of language ability and future language use decreased. However, no significant relationship was found between ethnocentrism and the Ought to L2-Self construct. Furthermore, the influence of gender was not significant in moderating the relationship between ethnocentrism and the Ideal L2-Self or between ethnocentrism and the Ought to L2-Self construct. The research emphasizes the importance of tackling ethnocentrism in language learning settings and advocates for promoting intercultural understanding in language education. The study's implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.