Schlotterbeck Out of World Cup: Torn Interior Ligament After DFB Victory

According to information from RTL/ntv and Bild-Zeitung, Schlotterbeck suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle. The Borussia Dortmund central defender faces approximately a two-month layoff, meaning he will also miss the start of the Bundesliga season on 7 August. "After the early exit in 2022, Schlotterbeck's second World Cup participation also ends in a bitter disappointment," read a statement.

Serious Diagnosis: Interior Ligament in the Left Ankle

Schlotterbeck himself addressed fans on Sunday via Instagram and appealed for solidarity. "What matters now is the team," he wrote, emphasizing: "They deserve the full support. Let's stand together and show that we stand behind this German team in good times and in difficult moments and support them on their path to the World Cup title!" The DFB also published the post on its channels.

The injury weighs especially heavily because head coach Nagelsmann is not allowed to call up a replacement. The FIFA rules state that injured outfield players may only be replaced by another player up to 24 hours before their team's first match of the tournament. For the DFB team, this deadline expired on 13 June, one day before the 7-1 opening victory over Curaçao. The German team must therefore play the remainder of the tournament with 22 outfield players and three goalkeepers.

FIFA Rule Prevents Replacement Call-Up

Nagelsmann reacted with dismay to the loss of his defender. "Schlotti will be greatly missed on the pitch as an outstanding defender, especially his excellent build-up play," said the head coach. At the same time, he showed a fighting spirit: "Despite his absence, we remain very well set at centre-back for the World Cup with Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rüdiger, Waldemar Anton and Malick Thiaw." He added encouragingly: "We all tried to lift him up yesterday - luckily he is a very positive character who is already looking ahead again."

It is already the second major personnel setback for the DFB team in the tournament. Previously, Munich winger Lennart Karl, whom Nagelsmann had called up as a replacement on 5 June, had suffered a muscle injury and also had to be scratched from the squad. It was precisely for such a case that the head coach had brought the 22-year-old Munich player to America as a so-called training goalkeeper - a switch to an outfield position is therefore ruled out.

The match against Ivory Coast was nevertheless a success for the German team. Following the 7-1 opening win over Curaçao and the 2-1 against the Ivorians, the team has reached the round of 16 ahead of schedule - winning a second group-stage match for the first time since the 2006 home World Cup. In front of 45,000 spectators at the stadium in Toronto, including around 3,000 German fans, Nadiem Amiri had set up the 1-1 with a cross through substitute Deniz Undav, before Undav also scored the winning goal in stoppage time.

DFB President Neuendorf Praises Team Spirit

DFB President Bernd Neuendorf was euphoric after the early group-stage victory. "The fact that our team has achieved group-stage victory ahead of schedule fills me with pride and joy," the 64-year-old told SID. He also pointed to Curaçao's 0-0 draw against Ecuador and emphasized that even the 7-1 opening win over the World Cup newcomer "was not a matter of course." For Nagelsmann, the success was also the result of clever substitutions: After 60 minutes, he brought on fresh attacking players with a triple change, including Amiri and Undav.

In the match against Ivory Coast, Manuel Neuer had stood in goal for the German team and reached another milestone. With his 21st World Cup appearance, the 40-year-old FC Bayern Munich goalkeeper is now the sole record World Cup goalkeeper. "You simply have to stay cool, stick to your routine," the captain had said before the match, warning of the opponent's pace: "Due to the opponent's speed, a little more will be expected of us."

Fair Play Debate After the Match

The encounter was also overshadowed by a fair play debate. Ivory Coast coach Emerse Faé had accused the German team of lacking fair play following the last-minute defeat. "From a great nation like Germany, one would have expected a bit more fair play, when Singo played the ball out of play due to an injury," Faé said. The background was an incident in the 80th minute in which the German team did not return the ball after a stoppage in play.

For the German team, the tournament now continues without one of its key performers. In the third group-stage match on Thursday (22:00 CEST), the DFB team faces Ecuador in New York/New Jersey. The match will be broadcast live on ARD and MagentaTV. The team already flew on to the USA on Sunday evening (local time), while Schlotterbeck initially remains with the team in the squad circle. "It is a nice sign that he is initially staying here in the squad circle, because he also has an influence off the pitch," Nagelsmann said on the matter.

Outlook on the Third Group-Stage Match Against Ecuador

On the fringes of the German camp, efforts are being made to maintain normality. On Monday, the players have a day off scheduled; on Tuesday and Wednesday, regular training sessions are planned in Winston-Salem, before the team travels by plane on to New York/New Jersey. The call-up of a replacement outfield player is no longer possible under FIFA regulations; the German team must see out the rest of the tournament with the current squad.

Options at Centre-Back

Schlotterbeck's absence raises the question of how Nagelsmann will adjust the defense in the upcoming matches. Jonathan Tah, who impressed with a strong performance in the 2-1 against Ivory Coast, remains the first choice at centre-back. Alongside Rüdiger, who replaced the injured Schlotterbeck almost flawlessly on Saturday, Waldemar Anton and Malick Thiaw are available as further options. Leon Goretzka, who drew attention with a defensive rescue, would also offer additional cover in midfield.

The special atmosphere of the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico was also highlighted within the German camp. In and around Toronto, around 200,000 people of German origin live, some of whom had joined the fan march to the match. The DFB team was staying at the Delta Hotel and had already arrived in the Canadian metropolis on Saturday. The meeting point for German supporters was the "Amsterdam Brewhouse," from where they made their way together to the stadium.