Lennart Kahl ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup; Assan Ouedraogo called up

Bayern Munich teenager Lennart Kahl has been ruled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a thigh injury in Germany's final training session ahead of their warm-up fixture against World Cup co-hosts the United States.

The 18-year-old, one of the most exciting young prospects in European football, had impressed in Germany's 4-0 friendly victory over Finland on Sunday, registering an assist before the injury struck at the worst possible time.

RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouedraogo has been named as Kahl's replacement in the Germany squad.

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Nagelsmann Sends Message to Kahl

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Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed his sympathy for the youngster while backing his replacement to step up.

"It's a huge shock for him and all of us that he's missing the World Cup," Nagelsmann said. "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."

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On Ouedraogo, Nagelsmann added, "He's highly talented, and we expect him to play with courage and freedom."

Germany's Group E Fixtures — 2026 FIFA World Cup

With Kahl's absence confirmed, Germany now turn their full attention to their World Cup opener. Nagelsmann's side begins their Group E campaign against Curacao on 14 June, before facing Ivory Coast on 20 June and Ecuador on 25 June.