Germany's Karl will miss the 2026 World Cup

Germany’s rising star Lennart Karl will miss the 2026 World Cup after tearing a muscle bundle in his right thigh during a training session.

The 18‑year‑old was the youngest player named by Julian Nagelsmann for the squad, having already appeared in more than twenty‑two matches for the German club and earning his national team debut in March friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana, followed by a preparatory match against Finland.

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His injury is a setback for a German side that hopes to re‑establish itself among the world’s elite after several disappointing major tournaments.

“Lennart suffered an injury in training and, honestly, it doesn’t look good. We have to wait for the diagnosis and then decide whether he can realistically make the World Cup or if we need to call up a replacement,” Nagelsmann said before the final decision was confirmed.

Following this setback, head coach Julian Nagelsmann called up Assan Ouédraogo as Karl’s replacement for the World Cup.

“With Assan Ouédraogo we are now getting a player who, similar to Lenny, had a great start with us,” Nagelsmann said. “He is also highly talented and is meant to play here boldly and freely.”

Nagelsmann also confirmed that veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer would not be fit in time to face the United States, but hoped he would return for Germany’s first World Cup match against Curaçao on June 14.

Neuer, a 2014 World Cup winner, was surprisingly recalled for the tournament in May, almost two years after announcing his international retirement.

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“At his age, he doesn’t need a warm‑up phase,” Nagelsmann said of Neuer. “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.”

Germany opens the World Cup on June 14 against Curaçao before facing the Ivory Coast on June 20 and closing group play with a June 25 match against Ecuador.