SouthernWorldwide.com – Germany’s promising young talent, 18-year-old midfielder Lennart Karl, faces an uncertain future in the upcoming World Cup following an injury sustained during training on Friday. He has been sent for scans to determine the severity of the undisclosed injury.
Karl has emerged as one of the most exciting young prospects in any World Cup squad. His impressive performances during a breakout season with Bayern Munich saw him achieve a historic milestone, becoming the club’s youngest ever goal-scorer in the Champions League.
“Unfortunately, Lenni injured himself today in training. We need to wait and see what happens, and to be honest, it didn’t look good,” stated Germany’s coach, Julian Nagelsmann, in a pre-match press conference ahead of his team’s final World Cup warm-up against the United States on Saturday.
“He needs to process the situation, and so do we. We will see what we decide. We require a diagnosis first, and then we will inform you. Following that, we will determine if we can hopefully proceed with him in the tournament or if I need to nominate a replacement.”
Under World Cup regulations, Nagelsmann has the authority to select a replacement player if a team member suffers a “serious injury or illness.” This provision remains valid up to 24 hours before Germany’s opening match of the tournament, which is scheduled for June 14 against debutants Curacao.
Lennart Karl made his senior debut for Germany in March, marking a significant step in his rapid ascent to prominence. He has since participated in three matches for the national team, notably featuring as a starter in their commanding 4-0 victory over Finland last week.
In related team news, Nagelsmann also confirmed on Friday that veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, aged 40, would not be participating in the match against the United States. This decision stems from ongoing concerns regarding a calf injury that Neuer sustained at Bayern Munich last month.
Consequently, Neuer is set to enter the World Cup having not played for the German national team in nearly two years. He had initially retired from international duty after the 2024 European Championship but had agreed to a recall just last month.
During Neuer’s absence from the national team, Oliver Baumann has frequently served as Germany’s primary goalkeeper. Baumann also started in goal for Germany in their recent 4-0 win against Finland.
