Germany striker Karl sidelined from 2026 World Cup with injury

Germany forward Lennart Karl will miss the 2026 World Cup after sustaining a thigh injury during final preparations.

Thigh injury ends World Cup dream Germany’s rising star Lennart Karl has been withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup squad due to a thigh muscle injury. The 18-year-old attacker picked up the problem during Germany’s last training session before a warm-up match with the United States. Bayern Munich’s Karl had featured in Germany’s 4-0 win over Finland the previous Sunday, contributing an assist. RB Leipzig’s Assan Ouedraogo will now take his place in the squad for the tournament. ## Nagelsmann expresses disappointment Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann shared his sorrow over Karl’s enforced absence from the tournament. 'I feel incredibly sorry for Lenny,' Nagelsmann said. 'It’s a huge shock for him and all of us that he’s missing the World Cup. It’s only a small consolation that he’s young and has many tournaments ahead of him. We would have loved to have him on the team.' The coach praised Karl’s talent and highlighted Ouedraogo’s potential, noting that the young player has made a strong impression in recent sessions. ## Germany’s warm-up and group schedule The match against the United States serves as Germany’s final preparation before their World Cup opener against Curaçao on 14 June. After that, the team faces Ivory Coast in Group E on 20 June and Ecuador on 25 June. Nagelsmann’s side will look to regroup following Karl’s injury setback ahead of the opening fixture.