Germany has faced a significant setback in its quest for World Cup glory after teenage sensation Lennart Karl was ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 18-year-old midfielder, a rising star at Bayern Munich, suffered a torn muscle during a training session in Chicago this past Friday.
The German Football Association (DFB) confirmed that Karl will be replaced in the squad by RB Leipzig's Assan Ouédraogo. Under World Cup regulations, teams are permitted to replace players in the event of serious injury up to 24 hours before their opening match.
The injury occurred during the final training session ahead of Saturday's warm-up friendly against the United States. Coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed immediate concern following the incident, noting that the injury "didn't look so good."
Karl's absence is particularly poignant given his meteoric rise. After a breakthrough season with Bayern Munich, where he became the club's youngest-ever scorer in the UEFA Champions League, he quickly cemented his place in the national team following his senior debut in March.
Germany now prepares for their Group E opener against Curacao on June 14, with subsequent matches against Cote d'Ivoire and Ecuador. The team is eager to bounce back from disappointing group stage exits in 2018 and 2022.
While the team adjusts to Karl's loss, Assan Ouédraogo, 20, finds himself with a sudden opportunity on the world's biggest stage. Having scored on his senior debut against Slovakia in November 2025, the RB Leipzig midfielder will travel from Spain to join the squad in the United States.
Additionally, the team continues to monitor the health of veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. The 40-year-old, who returned to international duty after the 2024 European Championship, is expected to miss the friendly against the United States due to a calf issue, though Nagelsmann has confirmed Neuer remains the first-choice keeper for the tournament in North America.
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Germany loses teenage star Karl before World Cup, Ouédraogo called up
cgtn.com
