'Doesn't look good': Germany dealt major injury blow ahead of World Cup

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·5. Juni 2026

'Doesn't look good': Germany dealt major injury blow ahead of World Cup

Young star could be out of entire tournament

Germany have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of the World Cup.

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Julian Nagelsmann revealed on Friday that attacking midfielder Lennart Karl had suffered an injury during training, with the former Bayern Munich boss saying that the issue “doesn’t look good”.

Die Mannschaft are based in Chicago, Illinois preparing for this summer’s tournament, and they take on co-hosts the United States in a friendly before the competition begins next week.

The 2014 world champions beat Finland emphatically 4-0 in their first warm-up match last week in Mainz before they jetted to North America to get their World Cup preparations underway.

Now, however, they may be forced to call up a replacement for the 18-year-old Karl, who starred for Bayern Munich this term.

Injury concern: Lennart Karl

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The teenager scored five goals in 26 Bundesliga games for Vincent Kompany’s side, and earned a maiden call-up for a major tournament as he looked to vie for a starting berth in Nagelsmann’s XI.

“It doesn't look good,” the Germany manager said of Karl’s condition.

“He went to the hospital and will have scans. We have to wait for the diagnosis and see if he can play at the World Cup or if we have to call up a replacement.”

Germany have up until 24 hours before the kick off of their first match at the tournament to call up a replacement for Karl.

They take on Curacao at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Sunday, June 14 in their opening game of Group E.

They then play the Ivory Coast at the BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario before a final group encounter against Ecuador at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.