World Cup 2026| Germany loses its revelation player, Lennart Karl

Germany's hopes for the 2026 World Cup have been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of 18-year-old forward Lennart Karl due to a left thigh injury. Karl sustained the injury during a training session with the national team on Friday. The German Football Association (DFB) confirmed his absence via Instagram, wishing him a swift recovery.

Karl, who emerged as a revelation last season with Bayern Munich, earned his first call-up to the German national team in March. He made his debut as a starter in the recent 4-0 friendly victory against Finland, contributing an assist. His absence leaves a significant gap in Germany's attacking lineup.

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Lenny suffered a muscle tear in the last training session and is out (for the World Cup) due to this injury. We wish him a speedy recovery.

To fill Karl's spot, national coach Julian Nagelsmann has selected Assan Ouédraogo, a 20-year-old offensive midfielder from RB Leipzig. Ouédraogo has made one senior appearance for Germany, scoring in a 6-0 win against Slovakia last November. He had been sidelined with an injury until late March, which led to his exclusion from the March friendlies.

Meanwhile, veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, aged 40, will not participate in Germany's upcoming friendly against the United States in Chicago. Nagelsmann believes Neuer, at his age, does not require further preparation and should be rested for Germany's World Cup debut on June 14 in Houston against Curaçao.

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At his age, he does not need a preparation phase.