Overview
- Thomas Müller spoke in Munich on Monday and said the German team is "not dependent on a single player," urging calm after the late loss of teenager Lennart Karl.
- Lennart Karl has been withdrawn from Germany's World Cup squad with injury and will not take part in the tournament.
- Coach Julian Nagelsmann named RB Leipzig forward Assan Ouédraogo as Karl's official replacement instead of 1. FC Köln's Said El Mala.
- Müller publicly endorsed Nagelsmann's choice as "absolut okay und nachvollziehbar" and highlighted the variety of attacking options available to the team.
- Karl's exit is a personal setback for the young player that creates a chance for Ouédraogo and keeps public debate focused on the trade-off between flashy young stars and tactical squad balance as Germany heads into the tournament.