Nagelsmann Faces Injury Concerns Ahead of World Cup

Nagelsmann rocked by late Karl injury scare as World Cup looms

Germany’s World Cup preparations were jolted in Chicago as Julian Nagelsmann revealed that teenage forward Mathys Karl is a major doubt for the tournament after suffering an injury in training.

On the eve of Saturday’s friendly against the United States – Germany’s final warm-up game – Nagelsmann cut a sober figure as he outlined the situation around the 18-year-old Bayern Munich talent.

“To be honest, it didn't look good. He's going to the hospital now to get a scan done,” the Germany coach said, making no attempt to downplay the concern inside the camp.

For now, the full extent of the damage remains unclear. Nagelsmann declined to reveal the nature of Karl’s injury and stressed that both player and staff needed time to absorb the blow.

“We need to process the situation first, and so does he. We need a diagnosis in order to do that. Then we'll see whether or not we call up a replacement,” he explained.

It is a brutal twist in what had been a meteoric rise. Karl broke into the Bayern Munich first team this season and quickly forced his way into Vincent Kompany’s Bundesliga-winning side, adding a fresh, fearless edge to their attack. That form carried him all the way into the national team picture.

He started his first match for Germany in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Finland in Mainz, marking the occasion with a confident display and an assist. The performance looked like the beginning of a breakthrough international summer. Now, his World Cup is hanging by the thread of a medical report.

Neuer ruled out of US friendly

Nagelsmann’s selection problems do not end there. He also confirmed that Manuel Neuer will miss the clash with the United States as the veteran goalkeeper continues his push for full fitness.

The 2014 World Cup winner was recalled in May, almost two years after announcing his international retirement, in one of the most eye-catching decisions of Germany’s build-up. His return was supposed to steady the picture in goal. Instead, his comeback is being managed with extreme care.

Nagelsmann insisted there is no panic, only calculation. Neuer is being earmarked for Germany’s opening World Cup match against Curacao on June 14.

“At his age, he doesn't need a warm-up phase,” Nagelsmann said. “He knows how to handle high-pressure situations. He's on his way to peak fitness. However, we don't want to take any risks tomorrow.”

So Germany head into their final rehearsal without their most experienced goalkeeper and with one of their brightest young forwards in limbo, waiting for scans in a Chicago hospital to decide whether his dream summer has ended before it truly began.