Disaster for Germany! Lennart Karl ruled out of World Cup as team-mate explains how Bayern star suffered awful injury

Speaking in the mixed zone following Germany’s 2-1 victory over the United States, Stuttgart star Undav provided a first-hand account of the moment Karl went down. The injury occurred during the final stages of the team's preparations, casting a shadow over what should have been a final warm-up match.

"It happened during a shot - in the very last action of the final training session," Undav explained to Sky Sport. "When he then touched that spot, we realised 'okay, something is wrong there.' When we got the result, we were naturally very sorry for the boy."

"He's a top lad, he's been giving it his all and has a bright future ahead of him. He would have loved to take part in the big tournament, but unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it. These things happen. We wish him all the best. He's supporting us from home and we will try to give everything."

While some reports suggested the injury happened during an extra individual session, Nagelsmann clarified that it took place during a team drill. The coach noted that the 18-year-old's "tears started flowing" as soon as he realised the severity of the situation. Nagelsmann confirmed that the Bayern winger would likely be sidelined for four to six weeks.

The diagnosis of a muscle bundle tear is a cruel twist of fate for the youngster, who had forced his way into the senior setup after a breakout season in Munich. Germany has already travelled to North America, but Karl has been forced to fly back to Europe to begin his rehabilitation immediately, effectively ending his summer before it began.

Taking to social media to express his devastation, the teenager did not hide his heartbreak. Having worked his way into Nagelsmann's plans following a strong debut season, missing out on the world's biggest stage at the final hurdle proved difficult to process for the versatile attacker.

"I don't even know where to start," the youngster said on Instagram. "I did everything I could to be fit for the World Cup. Unfortunately, injuries often strike at the worst possible moment. I wish my team the best of luck and will be supporting them every minute. I'll come back stronger, I promise. Thanks for the great messages! Good luck, @dfb_team!"

In response to the vacancy in his 26-man squad, Nagelsmann has moved quickly to call up RB Leipzig 20-year-old talent Assan Ouedraogo. The Leipzig youngster had impressed during previous camps and will now join the squad in the United States as they prepare for their Group E fixtures against Curacao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador.