For Serge Gnabry, the weekend was an emotional rollercoaster. With Bayern Munich, he celebrated securing yet another Bundeslliga title; yet, shortly beforehand, the Germany forward received a bitter diagnosis.
During the final training session ahead of the Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart, Gnabry suffered a torn adductor muscle in his right thigh. As a result, the 30-year-old will be unavailable for the final stretch of the season, while his recovery time will not be sufficient to make the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
“As for my World Cup dream with the national team, that is sadly over for me,” he wrote on his Instagram account. “Like the rest of the country, I will be supporting the boys from home.”
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, too, was thoroughly dismayed the moment the injury was announced earlier this week. “I feel deeply sorry for Serge. This is truly bitter news — especially now, during the final sprint of the season, with such massive and crucial matches lying ahead,” the national team coach told SID.
“I told him that we — the entire national team — stand firmly behind him. We will all support him in every way possible to ensure he can get back out on the pitch as soon as he can.”
For Gnabry, this marks the second World Cup he has missed — and fate has shown a particular cruelty: back in 2018, it was an adductor injury that condemned him to watch from the sidelines at the showpiece in Russia. Gnabry, who has scored 26 goals in 59 appearances for his country, did participate at Qatar 2022 though.
Germany face Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire and Educador in Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
