Serge Gnabry confirmed via Instagram on April 22, 2026, that he will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to an adductor tear in his right thigh sustained during Bayern Munich’s 4-2 Bundesliga win over VfB Stuttgart.
The 30-year-old Bayern and Germany international wrote that the past days had been „hard to digest“ and that his World Cup dream with the DFB team was „unfortunately over“ for him, adding he would support the squad from home.
Bayern Munich had initially announced the injury on Saturday evening, describing it as requiring a „longer pause,“ with BILD reporting the club expects a recovery period of at least two to three months.
The timing rules out participation in the tournament, which runs from June to July 2026 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Gnabry’s absence removes a key attacking option from Julian Nagelsmann’s system, where he had started in all of Germany’s last eight internationals, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
Nagelsmann expressed personal disappointment, saying he had spoken with Gnabry after the injury became known and assured him of the team’s full support during recovery.
For more on this story, see Kompany Confirms Musiala to Start for Bayern in DFB-Pokal Semifinal vs Leverkusen.
At Bayern, the loss complicates a busy schedule despite securing the Bundesliga title, with the DFB-Pokal semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen and the Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain still to come.
Vincent Kompany’s side will now rely more heavily on Jamal Musiala, who Nagelsmann indicated could become a central figure in both club and national team plans in Gnabry’s absence.
Oliver Kahn had previously advised Musiala to consider skipping a World Cup after a long injury layoff, but the young attacker is now poised to take on increased responsibility.
How serious is Gnabry’s injury?
The adductor tear requires a minimum two-month recovery, likely extending to three months based on Bayern’s internal assessment, making World Cup participation impossible given the June start date.
Who replaces Gnabry in the Germany squad?
Jamal Musiala is expected to assume a more central role in Nagelsmann’s plans, having already featured alongside Gnabry in recent internationals and now set to gain increased influence at both club and national level.
