German Lennart Karl excluded from the 2026 World Cup (Photo: X)
Germany have been dealt a major blow ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with young midfield star Lennart Karl ruled out of the tournament after sustaining a serious thigh injury in training.
The 18-year-old Bayern Munich prodigy suffered a tear to the muscle bundle at the front of his left thigh during Germany’s recent training camp in Chicago. The injury occurred just days before Germany’s opening World Cup match and before a pre-tournament friendly match against the United States.Karl was immediately taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation, where MRI scans confirmed the severity of the injury and ended his hopes of participating in the tournament.Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann initially expressed concern after the incident.“It didn’t look good,” Nagelsmann said shortly after Karl was forced out of coaching.The fears were quickly confirmed, and Germany moved quickly to replace the midfielder. Under FIFA regulations allowing the substitution of injured people before the start of the tournament, RB Leipzig midfielder Asane Ouedraogo was called into the squad as Karl’s replacement.
Heartbreak for Germany’s youngest star
Karl took to Instagram to express his sadness after learning he would miss the biggest tournament of his career.“I have no idea where to start, but it is incredibly painful to have to miss the biggest tournament of all,” Karl wrote. “I did everything to be ready for the World Cup. Unfortunately, injuries often come at unlucky times.”
The Bayern Munich youngster made his debut for Germany in March and has quickly established himself as one of the country’s most exciting emerging talents.
He made three international appearances and played a key role in Germany’s impressive 4-0 win over Finland last week. His performances earned him a place in Germany’s World Cup plans despite his young age, with many considering him one of the tournament’s breakout stars.
Germany’s World Cup campaign
Germany will begin their journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Group E and will remain among the favorites to compete for the title despite Karl’s absence.The schedule of their matches in the group stage was as follows:June 14: Germany vs. Curacao – Houston Stadium, TexasJune 20: Germany vs. Ivory Coast – Toronto Stadium, OntarioJune 25: Germany vs. Ecuador – New York Stadium, New Jersey, New Jersey
