Lennart Karl Ruled Out of World Cup After Injury
Germany’s World Cup plans have taken a sharp hit before a ball has even been kicked. Teenage forward Lennart Karl has been ruled out of the tournament after suffering a serious muscle injury in training, the German Football Federation (DFB) confirmed on Friday.
“Lenny tore a muscle bundle today in the final training session and is ruled out because of this injury. Have a good recovery, we're thinking of you,” the DFB posted on Instagram, a stark full stop to what had been a whirlwind rise for the 18-year-old.
Karl, one of the breakout stars of the Bundesliga season, had forced his way into Julian Nagelsmann’s squad on the back of a rapid ascent at Bayern Munich. Promoted to the first team and trusted by Vincent Kompany in a title-winning campaign, he went from promising academy talent to fully fledged champion in a matter of months.
Now his World Cup is over before it begins.
A rising star cut down at full speed
Nagelsmann had already sounded the alarm in Chicago ahead of Saturday’s friendly against the United States. The coach admitted the injury “didn't look good” and confirmed Karl had been sent to hospital for scans. Those fears have now been realised.
The timing could hardly be crueller. Karl made his first start for Germany only last Sunday in a 4-0 win over Finland, delivering the kind of performance that justifies hype rather than creates it. He set up a goal, pressed relentlessly, and looked entirely at ease in the shirt of a four-time world champion. It felt like the start of something.
Instead, it becomes a painful what-if for player and country.
Germany have moved quickly to fill the vacancy, calling up RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouedraogo as Karl’s replacement. Ouedraogo brings a different profile and will not replicate Karl’s direct threat in behind, but he steps into a squad that has clearly left the door open to young talent.
For Nagelsmann, the loss is tactical as much as emotional. Karl offered pace, fearlessness, and the kind of unpredictability that unsettles tired defences in tournament football. He had earned trust, not just minutes.
Neuer waits, but World Cup return still on track
Germany’s injury bulletin did not end with Karl. Nagelsmann also confirmed that Manuel Neuer will miss the friendly against the US, though the coach remains optimistic the veteran goalkeeper will be ready for Germany’s World Cup opener against Curacao on June 14.
Neuer, 40, was recalled in May in one of the boldest decisions of Nagelsmann’s tenure, almost two years after the keeper had announced his international retirement. Bringing him back into the fold was always going to spark debate. Nagelsmann’s response has been clear: this is a player he trusts on the biggest stages.
“At his age, he doesn't need a warm-up phase,” the coach said. “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.”
That last line matters. Germany are treating Neuer as a key asset to be managed, not a nostalgia pick to be indulged. Missing a friendly is acceptable. Missing the World Cup opener would be a different conversation entirely.
A test of depth and resolve
Every tournament campaign throws up an early test of a squad’s resilience. For Germany, this is it. The loss of a fearless teenager who had just broken into the side, combined with the careful handling of a 40-year-old World Cup winner, captures the strange duality of this team: one eye on the future, one relying on a legendary past.
Karl’s absence forces Nagelsmann to adjust his attacking plans and deprives the World Cup of one of its freshest stories. Ouedraogo gets his chance. Neuer waits for his.
Germany, as ever, will be judged not on who they lose, but on how they respond.
