Karl ruled out of World Cup after training injury
Lennart Karl will not play a part at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a muscle injury in training ahead of Germany's final warm-up friendly.
The 18-year-old suffered a muscle tear in his left thigh during training in Chicago and was taken to hospital. He will be replaced by Assan Ouedraogo.
"I feel incredibly sorry for Lenny," Germny boss Julian Nagelsmann said. "With his light‑heartedness, his creativity, his pace, and his personality, he fit into the team perfectly."
Karl enjoyed a meteoric rise this season as he helped Bayern Munich clinch the domestic double and reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
"It is a huge shock for him and for all of us that he will miss the [FIFA] World Cup. It is only a small consolation that he is young and still has many tournaments ahead of him," Nagelsmann said.
"With Assan Ouedraogo we are now getting a player who, similar to Lenny, had a great start with us. He is also highly talented and is meant to play here boldly and freely.”
Germany arrived in the United States last week for the FIFA World Cup, which starts on 12 June (AEST).
The four-time champion has set its sights on winning the title after shock first-round exits at the previous two tournaments, in 2018 and 2022.
Germany, which has not tasted international success since winning its most recent FIFA World Cup title in Brazil in 2014, is in Group E and kicks off its campaign against Curacao on 15 June (AEST) before facing Cote d'Ivoire and Ecuador.
