Germany suffered a major setback ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after promising forward Lennart Karl was ruled out with a muscle injury sustained during training.

The German Football Association confirmed that the 18-year-old suffered a muscle tear that will keep him out of the tournament, with Assan Ouédraogo called up as his replacement.

Head coach Julian Nagelsmann also revealed that veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will miss the friendly against the United States, although he could still be available for Germany’s opening World Cup match.