World Cup out for Nico Schlotterbeck: DFB defender suffers torn ligaments

After Lennart Karl’s muscle injury, national coach Julian Nagelsmann now has to cope with his second loss from the tournament. Since the FIFA deadline has expired, he can no longer nominate a player. After each team’s first game, the world association only allows one new goalkeeper to be called into the squad. Nagelsmann was able to nominate Assan Ouedraogo for Karl. Even before the squad was nominated, Karl’s Munich club colleague Serge Gnabry had to cancel participation in the World Cup as a starting eleven candidate.

Schlotterbeck’s injury in his 29th international match is bitter for Nagelsmann. The BVB defender is important for building play from the defense and was the only left-footed player among the central defenders to be a regular. After the early elimination in 2022, Schlotterbeck’s second World Cup participation also ends in disappointment.

Rüdiger will probably slip into the starting eleven

The injury brings Antonio Rüdiger back into focus and will most likely also be in the starting line-up for the final group game against Ecuador on Thursday (10 p.m./ARD and Magenta TV) in East Rutherford. The 33-year-old from Real Madrid, who recently had to play behind Schlotterbeck and Jonathan Tah, came on as a substitute for Dortmund at half-time in Toronto. Other central defenders in the squad are Schlotterbeck’s BVB colleagues Waldemar Anton and Malick Thiaw.

Schlotterbeck sustained the injury after just under a quarter of an hour when he kicked himself in the left leg in a duel. In the press conference after the game, Nagelsmann praised the Dortmund player for his subsequent effort, “how he pushed through until the break.” Schlotterbeck was treated several times but held out the entire first half. The sad certainty came after returning to North Carolina.

Schlotterbeck had already missed almost half a year last year due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. “Antonio did well, very concentrated,” said Nagelsmann about Rüdiger. The Real professional had no rhythm in the game over the past two to three weeks and yet immediately found his way into the intense game.