Summary The 25-year-old tore a tendon in his upper right thigh at their pre-World Cup training camp.
BERLIN (AFP) - Lars Bender was on Friday ruled out of next month s World Cup after suffering a thigh injury to deepen Germany s defensive midfield woes three weeks before their Brazil 2014 campaign.
The 25-year-old tore a tendon in his upper right thigh at their pre-World Cup training camp in north Italy, which he will leave on Friday, with Germany facing Portugal in their opening Group G game on June 16 in Salvador.
Germany head coach Joachim Loew has opted not to replace Bender in his 26-man squad, which needs to be reduced to 23 by June 2, but admits the loss of the Bayer Leverkusen star is a blow.
Bender s withdrawal further hampers Loew s defensive midfield plans where vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is unable to train with tendinitis of the knee while Real Madrid s Sami Khedira will not join the squad until after Saturday s Champions League final and spent most of the last six month sidelined with a knee injury.
"When a player drops out just before the start of a tournament with an injury, then it s disappointing for everyone," Loew told the German Football Association (DFB) website after Bender suffered the injury on Thursday.
"I am personally very sorry for Lars and I know he really wanted to be in Brazil.
"In terms of his performances and character he is a absolute role model."
Loew is already waiting on captain Philipp Lahm (ankle) and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (shoulder) with the Bayern Munich pair receiving intensive treatment from the DFB s medical staff and are currently unable to train.
