Germany's Schlotterbeck Out of World Cup with Ankle Injury; No Replacement Allowed

Germany's World Cup campaign has suffered a significant setback as central defender Nico Schlotterbeck has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament due to a left ankle ligament injury. The 26-year-old Borussia Dortmund player sustained the injury during Germany's 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast on Saturday. He was substituted at half-time by Antonio Rüdiger.

A scan on Sunday confirmed that Schlotterbeck suffered an injury to the medial collateral ligament in his left ankle. The German national team announced that he will be sidelined for several months, though he will remain with the squad in the United States for the time being. Schlotterbeck had started both of Germany's opening matches, scoring his first international goal in their 7-1 win over Curacao.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann expressed his disappointment, saying, "Schlotti will be greatly missed on the pitch as an outstanding defender, especially his excellent build-up play. It could have been his World Cup." Nagelsmann praised Schlotterbeck's positive character and noted his continued presence in the team would have a positive influence off the pitch.

Under FIFA rules, teams are permitted to make only one injury replacement up to 24 hours before their opening match. As Germany have already played two group stage matches, they are unable to call up a replacement for Schlotterbeck. The team had previously added midfielder Assan Ouedraogo to replace injured Lennart Karl before the tournament.

Despite the blow, Germany have already secured top spot in Group E and advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in 12 years. Their remaining centre-back options include Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rüdiger, Waldemar Anton, and Malick Thiaw. Germany are set to face Ecuador in their final group stage match on Thursday. Schlotterbeck had recently signed a contract extension with Borussia Dortmund through 2031.