Boston, June 22 (SANA) Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck will miss the remainder of the FIFA World Cup after suffering ankle ligament damage during his team’s 2-1 Group E victory over Ivory Coast, the German Football Association (DFB) said Monday.
Medical examinations confirmed that Schlotterbeck tore ligaments in his left ankle after sustaining the injury early in Saturday’s match. He was replaced at halftime by Antonio Rudiger.
In a statement, the German team said the Borussia Dortmund defender had suffered damage to the medial ligament in his left ankle and is expected to be sidelined for several months.
Despite being ruled out of the tournament, Schlotterbeck will remain with the Germany squad in the United States.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said the team would miss the defender’s contribution, describing him as an outstanding player with exceptional qualities both defensively and in building attacks from the back.
Nagelsmann added that Schlotterbeck had responded positively to the setback and that his presence would continue to be valuable to the squad on and off the pitch.
Under FIFA regulations, Germany cannot replace Schlotterbeck because the tournament is already underway.
Germany has already secured first place in Group E and advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in 12 years. The four-time world champions will complete their group-stage campaign against Ecuador on Thursday.
R.H/Abd
