Germany defender Schlotterbeck's World Cup over due to injury
Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck will miss the remainder of the World Cup after suffering a medial collateral ligament tear. The injury occurred during the second group match against Ivory Coast, and he is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.
Germany's World Cup campaign has suffered a blow as defender Nico Schlotterbeck has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to injury. The 26-year-old picked up the problem in the second group game against Ivory Coast, where he was substituted at half-time.
Schlotterbeck had started the World Cup on a high, scoring his first goal for Germany in the opening match against Curaçao (7-1). However, in the second match against Ivory Coast (2-1), he was forced off after the first half. Prior to this injury, he had played every half for Germany this year, totaling 11 halves.
An MRI scan revealed a tear of the medial collateral ligament. Recovery will take between six and eight weeks, meaning his World Cup is over.
Schlotterbeck had formed a defensive partnership with Jonathan Tah in the first two matches. He was replaced by Antonio Rüdiger, who is likely to continue in the starting lineup. Germany has already secured first place in Group E and will conclude the group stage against Ecuador on June 25-26.
Schlotterbeck has earned 29 caps for Germany, scoring once. He began his professional career at Freiburg before moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for €20 million.
