After World Cup exit: Bayern boss sends emotional message to Lennart Karl | OneFootball

Lennart Karl’s withdrawal from the World Cup is not only a concern for the German national team, but also for FC Bayern. The 18-year-old suffered a torn muscle bundle shortly before the start of the tournament and will have to miss the World Cup. Bayern President Herbert Hainer has now commented in detail for the first time on the attacking talent’s injury – and found some moving words in the process

Lennart Karl’s disappointment at missing out on the World Cup is likely to linger for a long time to come. The Bayern youngster was regarded as one of the big winners of recent months and had played his way into the focus of national coach Julian Nagelsmann with strong performances

The diagnosis shortly before the start of the tournament was all the more bitter. A torn muscle bundle in the adductor area forced the 18-year-old to leave the DFB quarters early and abruptly ended his dream of playing in his first World Cup

The news was also received with great regret at FC Bayern, where President Herbert Hainer spoke to BILD for the first time about the young player’s fate at a fan club meeting

„Of course I feel incredibly sorry for Lennart, who has developed wonderfully. For such a young player, taking part in the World Cup is of course the greatest thing,“ explained Hainer

Hainer pays tribute to Karl’s extraordinary rise

The Bayern president is particularly impressed by the development that Karl has made in such a short space of time

„We would all have loved to have seen him at the World Cup, because Lennart represents a wonderful story: within just one season as a young talent from the FC Bayern academy straight to the World Cup. He shows what is possible at FC Bayern,“ emphasized Hainer

In fact, Karl is regarded within the club as a prime example of the successful path from the campus to the pros. With strong performances in the youth academy, the attacking player initially recommended himself for higher tasks before finally making the leap to the national team

Missing out on the World Cup was therefore the first major setback in his young career

Personal message from the Bayern president

photo: IMAGO

Hainer took the opportunity to contact the player personally after the diagnosis was announced: „I sent him a WhatsApp message and told him that he must now look to the future, no matter how big the disappointment,“ the Bayern boss revealed

At the same time, Hainer made it clear that he has no doubts about the talent’s further development: „Because he has such a great future ahead of him,“ explained the 71-year-old

To further encourage Karl, Hainer referred to a recent example from his own ranks: „Lennart is receiving the best medical care from us, and he has an example in his own team of how quickly things can improve: Aleks Pavlović dropped out two years ago shortly before the European Championship – and today he is a regular in the national team.“

This reminds Hainer of the remarkable journey of his midfielder, who has made an impressive comeback after a serious disappointment and is now one of the most important players in the DFB team

Those responsible are also hoping for a similar development with Karl. After the initial disappointment, the focus is now on rehabilitation. The prognosis is quite positive. As things stand, the attacking player could return to team training in the course of July

For FC Bayern, there is no question that Lennart Karl is still one of the club’s greatest hopes for the future, and Herbert Hainer’s words make it clear how much faith they continue to have in the 18-year-old despite the bitter setback.