Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck will miss the remainder of the World Cup after sustaining a serious injury during Germany's match against Ivory Coast.
The loss removes a key defensive option from Julian Nagelsmann's squad at a critical stage of the tournament.
Nagelsmann acknowledged the severity of the situation, noting that the injury could have ended Schlotterbeck's World Cup campaign entirely.
The German national team must now identify a replacement from the bench or consider tactical adjustments to cope with the absence of one of their primary center-backs.
The injury compounds existing pressure on the German coaching staff.
In recent days, senior players Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels publicly questioned whether Nagelsmann has fully adapted his methods from club football to the demands of managing the national team.