Big setback for Germany as their star player can’t play in the World Cup
Germany’s defender Nico Schlotterbeck will miss the rest of the World Cup after reportedly tearing a ligament in his left ankle during their 2-1 win over Ivory Coast on Saturday (June 20).
Schlotterbeck, who plays for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, started in both Germany’s big 7-1 win against Curaçao and their close 2-1 win against Ivory Coast. But he had to leave the game at halftime after looking clearly in pain late in the first half.
Sky Germany said Schlotterbeck had an MRI scan on Sunday (June 21), which showed he tore the medial collateral ligament in his ankle.
He’s expected to be out for at least two months. Real Madrid’s defender Antonio Rüdiger will likely take his place when Germany face Ecuador on June 25. Germany is already through to the round of 32 before this last group game.
Teams could only change their World Cup squads up to 24 hours before their first match. For example, England replaced Tino Livramento with Trevoh Chalobah before their opener against Croatia. Since Germany has already played twice, their squad is locked for the tournament, even if players get seriously injured. Outfield players can’t be swapped, but goalkeepers can be replaced if they get injured or sick during the World Cup.
FIFA’s rules for the 2026 World Cup explain this in detail: A player can only be replaced before their team’s first match if they’re seriously injured or ill, and FIFA has to approve it based on medical proof. The replacement must come from the provisional list and will take the injured player’s shirt number.
For goalkeepers, the rule is a bit different — they can be replaced anytime during the tournament if necessary, again with FIFA’s approval and medical confirmation. Injured players who are replaced must hand back their accreditation and are no longer part of the team list.
In short, while goalkeepers can be swapped for medical reasons during the World Cup, outfield players like Schlotterbeck can’t be replaced once the tournament is underway.