What happened: Nico Schlotterbeck will miss the remainder of the World Cup after suffering an ankle injury, forcing him to leave Germany's training camp. Concerns had been building since the match against Ivory Coast, and those fears have now been confirmed. The Borussia Dortmund center-back is done for the tournament.
Why it matters: Losing a first-choice center-back mid-tournament thins Germany's backline at the worst possible moment. Manager Julian Nagelsmann will now lean more heavily on Antonio Rüdiger to anchor the defense through Germany's upcoming fixtures. It puts added pressure on the remaining options to hold up under elimination stakes.
By the numbers: Reports circulating on the injury describe a torn ligament in the left ankle, with an estimated recovery timeline of at least eight weeks — a window that rules him out for the rest of the competition.
What to watch: Watch for how Nagelsmann reshapes the center-back pairing and whether Germany call in additional Rüdiger's pairing in the next match will signal the new plan.