Germany shocked as rising star Lennart Karl ruled out of World Cup 2026

BERLIN: Germany’s World Cup 2026 preparations have been dealt a major setback after teenage forward Lennart Karl was ruled out of the tournament following a serious training-ground injury, the German Football Federation (German Football Association) confirmed on Friday.

According to an official statement shared on Instagram, Karl suffered a torn muscle bundle during the final training session ahead of international fixtures. Medical scans later confirmed the severity of the injury, forcing the young forward out of Germany’s World Cup squad.

“Lenny tore a muscle bundle today in the final training session and is ruled out because of this injury,” the federation said, wishing the 18-year-old a speedy recovery.

The setback is a painful blow for Germany and head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who had been closely monitoring Karl’s rapid rise through the Bundesliga this season. The Bayern Munich youngster had emerged as one of the breakout stars of the domestic campaign, playing a key role in a title-winning side under Vincent Kompany.

Karl had only recently broken into the senior national team setup and impressed in his first start during Germany’s dominant 4-0 friendly win over Finland, where he provided an assist and showed remarkable composure on the international stage.

Following his injury, Germany have quickly moved to fill the gap by calling up RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouedraogo as a replacement in the squad.

Adding to Germany’s concerns, veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has also been ruled out of the upcoming friendly against the United States due to fitness issues. However, Nagelsmann remains hopeful that the 40-year-old World Cup winner could return in time for Germany’s opening World Cup match against Curaçao on June 14.

“At his age, he doesn’t need a warm-up phase. He knows how to handle pressure,” Nagelsmann said, while stressing that the team will avoid any unnecessary risk ahead of the tournament.

Karl’s absence leaves a significant gap in Germany’s attacking depth at a crucial moment. As the countdown to World Cup 2026 continues, the focus now shifts to recovery, squad adjustments, and maintaining momentum without one of their brightest young talents.