Tears at Germany World Cup training over Lennart Karl being sent home

Lennart Karl has dropped out of Germany’s World Cup squad less than a week before the start of the tournament.

The German football federation, DFB, announced a torn muscle and that the Bayern Munich teen will be heading home.

Coach Julian Nagelsmann commented: “I feel incredibly sorry for Lenny.

“With his carefree attitude, his flair for the game, his pace and his personality, he fit perfectly into the team.

“It’s a huge shock for him and all of us that he’s missing the World Cup.”

A DFB statement later confirmed Karl’s replacement, with teams allowed to replace injured players up to 48 hours before their first game.

Germany name Karl replacement

“National coach Julian Nagelsmann has called up national player Assan Ouedraogo from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig to replace the player from FC Bayern Munich,” the DFB wrote.

Nagelsmann added: “It’s only a small consolation that he’s young and has many tournaments ahead of him.

“We would have loved to have him on the team. With Assan Ouedraogo, we’re now getting a player who, like Lenny, had a fantastic start with us.

“He’s also highly talented and we expect him to play bravely and without pressure.”

Karl had come off a stunning breakout season with Bayern and was seen as Germany’s wildcard that could’ve undone tough knockout matches.

His injury came during the final training session before Germany face co-hosts USA in a pre-tournament friendly.

DFB President Bernd Neuendorf later revealed how Karl’s departure was handled.

Tears at training

“We just said goodbye to him,” he commented. “The whole team was there, gathered together one last time.

“Julian was there and said a few words; the entire team was there. He also managed to say a few words, even though it was very difficult for him.

“He was extremely sad. I think there were even a few tears.”

He added: “It’s a bit of a downer. He’s been on top form in the last few games and has given us a lot of joy.

“The only positive thing, if you can find anything positive in it at all, is that he still has several World Cups ahead of him. For the moment, it’s very, very sad, and the farewell reflected that.”