Germany Faces World Cup Setback with Lennart Karl's Injury
Germany’s World Cup plans have taken a brutal hit before a ball has even been kicked.
Teenage forward Lennart Karl, one of the breakout stars of the Bundesliga season, has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a serious muscle injury in training, the German Football Federation (DFB) confirmed on Friday.
“Lenny tore a muscle bundle today in the final training session and is ruled out because of this injury. Have a good recovery, we're thinking of you,” read a DFB message on Instagram – a stark full stop to what was supposed to be his first major tournament.
The 18-year-old Bayern Munich attacker had arrived at this camp as the face of Germany’s new wave, a fearless youngster who had burst into the top flight and immediately forced his way into Vincent Kompany’s title-winning side. He carried that form into the national team, starting his first match for Germany in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Finland and supplying an assist. It felt like the start of something.
Instead, it ends on a training pitch in Chicago.
Nagelsmann’s Blow, Ouedraogo’s Chance
Julian Nagelsmann had already sounded the alarm before the official diagnosis. Speaking in Chicago ahead of Saturday’s friendly against the United States, the Germany head coach admitted Karl’s injury “didn't look good” and confirmed the youngster had been taken to hospital for a scan. The worst fears were quickly realised.
The response was swift. Germany have called up RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouedraogo as Karl’s replacement, a change that subtly reshapes the balance of Nagelsmann’s squad. One explosive forward out, a versatile, ball-carrying midfielder in. The coach loses a direct attacking weapon but gains another option between the lines.
For Karl, the timing could hardly be crueller. He had forced his way from debutant to World Cup squad member in a matter of months, his rise mirroring Germany’s attempt to refresh and re-energise after years of underachievement. His absence strips Nagelsmann of a wild card who played without the scars of recent tournaments.
Neuer Waits, Curacao in Sight
The injury news did not stop with Karl. Nagelsmann also confirmed that Manuel Neuer will not be fit in time to face the United States, even though the veteran goalkeeper remains in his World Cup plans.
Neuer, 40, was dramatically recalled in May, almost two years after announcing his international retirement. The decision raised eyebrows, but Nagelsmann has never doubted the value of a goalkeeper who lifted the World Cup in 2014 and has lived in football’s most pressurised moments.
“At his age, he doesn't need a warm-up phase,” Nagelsmann said. “He knows how to handle high-pressure situations. He's on his way to peak fitness. However, we don't want to take any risks tomorrow.”
The target is clear: Germany’s opening World Cup match against Curacao on June 14. Nagelsmann wants Neuer ready for that night, not for a friendly in October.
So Germany move on with a wounded squad and a slightly altered script. Karl’s World Cup dream is over before it began, Ouedraogo steps into the spotlight, and Neuer waits for his second act on the biggest stage. How much will that early twist reshape a campaign that was already walking a tightrope between renewal and expectation?
