World Cup withdrawal confirmed! Lennart Karl out with torn muscle bundle | OneFootball

It is now a sad certainty: Lennart Karl will miss the World Cup. The 18-year-old suffered a torn muscle bundle in the final training session of the German national team and is out for the tournament. Assan Ouedraogo will replace the Bayern youngster in the World Cup squad

What had already been foreshadowed on Friday was officially confirmed last night: Lennart Karl will not be able to take part in the upcoming World Cup. The German Football Association confirmed the offensive player’s withdrawal at 23:26

The right winger had injured himself in the final training session before the last World Cup test against the USA. After thorough examinations, it is now clear that Karl has suffered a torn muscle bundle. This puts an end to the 18-year-old’s dream of his first World Cup

Particularly bitter: the Bayern professional was regarded as one of the big winners under national coach Julian Nagelsmann in recent weeks and had earned himself the best chance of a place in the starting eleven

Nagelsmann loses his shooting star

Nagelsmann had already made his concerns public immediately after the injury. At the press conference, the national team coach spoke of not making a good impression and announced further examinations

„Unfortunately, Lenny got injured in training today. It doesn’t look good. We’re going to the hospital now to get a picture. Please don’t drive after him, give him a rest. We have to wait for the diagnosis and see whether he can play at the World Cup or whether we have to call up a replacement,“ explained the 38-year-old

As reported by BILD, Karl left the pitch around 20 minutes before the end of the training session. Although he was able to walk to the catacombs on his own, the subsequent MRI scan revealed the dreaded diagnosis

The loss is a major setback for the German national team. Karl had come to the fore with strong performances and was recently considered the favorite in the battle for the right-back position. The Bayern youngster had the edge in the competition with Leroy Sané and Jamie Leweling

Ouedraogo gets the big chance

The DFB has already responded to the loss with an additional nomination: Assan Ouedraogo will take Karl’s place in the World Cup squad

The 20-year-old from RB Leipzig is held in high regard by Nagelsmann. After an injury-hit phase, Ouedraogo fought back impressively at the end of the season and once again recommended himself for the national team

He had already celebrated his debut in a DFB shirt in November in the 6-0 win against Slovakia, when he even scored a goal straight after coming on as a substitute and left a lasting impression

The attacking midfielder is flexible and can play on the wings as well as centrally behind the strikers, and this versatility is likely to have been one of the reasons why Nagelsmann opted for the Leipzig man

For Lennart Karl, on the other hand, a difficult time now begins. Instead of appearing on the big stage at the World Cup, the Bayern talent must concentrate on his rehabilitation. After his meteoric rise in recent months, the tournament exit is a particularly bitter setback. At the same time, the way Karl has presented himself recently should give hope that his chance in the DFB team is only postponed and not cancelled.