What happened: Germany attacking midfielder Lennart Karl has been ruled out of the 2026 World Cup after suffering a muscle bundle tear in his left thigh during training in Chicago. Coach Julian Nagelsmann has officially called up RB Leipzig's Assan Ouédraogo to take the 18-year-old's place in the 26-man roster.
Why it matters: The loss of Lennart Karl strips Germany of its most prolific young creative spark just nine days before their tournament opener against Curaçao. Karl, who recently became Bayern Munich's youngest-ever Champions League scorer, was expected to play a featured role in Nagelsmann's attacking rotation.
By the numbers: Karl became the youngest UCL scorer in Bayern history at 18 years, 114 days. His replacement, Ouédraogo, arrives with 3 goals and 5 assists for RB Leipzig during the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign.
What to watch: Germany faces the United States in a final warm-up match before traveling to Houston for their Group A opener on June 14.