Germany’s World Cup campaign just got significantly harder. Nico Schlotterbeck, the Borussia Dortmund center-back who has become a cornerstone of Julian Nagelsmann’s defensive setup, tore his left ankle ligament during Germany’s Group E match against Ivory Coast on June 20.
The 26-year-old defender is expected to miss at least eight weeks, which almost certainly rules him out for the remainder of the tournament.
How the injury happened
The damage occurred early in the first half at the match venue in Toronto, Canada. Schlotterbeck was involved in a challenge with Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo, and the aftermath was immediately concerning.
Schlotterbeck played through the remainder of the first half despite the issue. But medical staff had seen enough by halftime, and Antonio Rudiger came on as his replacement.
