Germany's Karl ruled out of World Cup due to injury, Ouedraogo called up

The 18-year-old sustained a torn muscle bundle in his left thigh during a training session on Friday in Chicago and was taken to hospital. Assan Ouedraogo will take his place.

"I feel incredibly sorry for Lenny," Nagelsmann said. "With his light-heartedness, his creativity, his pace and his personality, he fitted perfectly into the team."

Karl experienced a meteoric rise this season, helping Bayern Munich secure the domestic double and reach the Champions League semi-finals.

"It is a huge shock for him and for all of us that he will miss the World Cup. It is only a small comfort that he is young and still has many tournaments ahead of him," Nagelsmann said.

"With Assan Ouedraogo, we are now bringing in a player who, like Lenny, had a great start with us. He is also highly talented and is expected to play boldly and freely here."

Germany arrived in the United States on Tuesday ahead of the World Cup, which begins next week.

The four-time champions are targeting the title after surprising first round eliminations at the previous two tournaments in 2018 and 2022.

The Germans, who have not enjoyed international success since winning their last World Cup title in Brazil in 2014, are in Group E. They begin their campaign against Curacao on June 14th, before facing the Ivory Coast and Ecuador.