Lennart Karl, Bayern's Breakthrough Star, Out of 2026 World Cup with Thigh Injury

Lennart Karl will not play in the 2026 World Cup. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder, Bayern Munich’s breakthrough star this season, suffered a left thigh tear during training and has been ruled out by the German national team.

“I’m really sorry for Lenny. With his carefree nature, his talent for the game, his speed and his personality, he was a valuable asset to the team. It’s a huge shock for him and for all of us that he’s missing the World Cup. The fact that he’s young and still has many tournaments ahead of him is only a small consolation. We would have loved to have him in the team,” said manager Julian Nagelsmann in a statement.

The injury comes at the worst possible time for the player, who had just been building positive momentum. In the Bundesliga this season, Karl has scored five goals and provided six assists in 26 matches. In the UEFA Champions League, he added four goals and two assists in eight appearances. Remarkable statistics for a player his age.

Karl celebrated his first cap with the Mannschaft in March during a 4-3 victory over Switzerland. Just last Sunday, he had been started on the right wing in Germany’s first World Cup warm-up match, a 4-0 victory over Finland. Nagelsmann had expressed his concerns about him as early as Friday in his press conference; they have been confirmed.

To replace him in the squad, the manager has called up 20-year-old Assan Ouedraogo, who plays for RB Leipzig.