Lennart Karl was just one step away from starting the 2026 World Cup, but he unfortunately suffered a torn muscle bundle in his left thigh. Because he won’t be able to recover in time, Germany officially dropped him from the squad.
Karl’s dreams ended faster than they began. This was set to be his first World Cup with the national team alongside teammates who, like him, were mostly born in Germany, making the squad one of the few with very few players born overseas.
Without the attacking midfielder, Germany will have one less option in the squad. Especially with Toni Kroos also missing the World Cup, the team could face some issues. However, it won’t necessarily be the end of the world for manager Julian Nagelsmann, who replaced Karl with another young talent.
Karl’s replacement in the Germany squad
The decision on his replacement was made quickly to avoid a hole in the attacking strategy. The replacement is 20-year-old Assan Ouédraogo, who recorded four goals and three assists with RB Leipzig last season. That is nearly identical to Karl’s production of five goals and five assists for Bayern Munich.
Speaking of the attack, Germany has more than enough forwards and attacking midfielders to avoid missing Karl or Thomas Müller, who will also sit out this tournament. The position is well-covered for Die Mannschaft to make a deep tournament run.
When could Karl recover to play for Germany again?
There is no official timeline or estimate for when Karl might play an international match for Germany again. However, he remains confident he will recover in time to be fit and ready for the upcoming 2026-27 Bundesliga season.
“I’m still in Munich this week for initial treatment, and after that I’ve been given some time off,” Karl told Bild on June 12. “In these first few days, there isn’t much I can do in rehab except give the injury time to heal. After that, the rehabilitation phase will begin again at some point.”
