Top News

Germany’s defender Lennart Karl has expressed his emotions through a heartfelt message following his devastating exit from the World Cup.

“I honestly don’t even know where to begin,” the 18-year-old wrote on Instagram. “It just hurts so much to miss out on the biggest tournament of all.”

The young Bayern Munich talent suffered a muscle tear during the team’s final training session before Saturday’s friendly against the USA (8:30 pm) in Chicago, ruling him out of what would have been his first World Cup appearance.

Midfielder Assan Ouédraogo from RB Leipzig has been called up to replace him. “I gave everything to be ready for the World Cup. Sadly, injuries tend to come at the worst possible time,” Karl said. He had secured his national team spot after an impressive debut season with Bayern Munich and strong showings in his international debut in March.

Karl added that he will continue to support his teammates from afar: “I wish the entire team all the best and will be cheering for them every single minute.” Alongside a photo of himself lying on the pitch, he ended his message with determination, saying, “I’ll come back stronger, I promise.”