Lennart Karl back training with the ball at Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich's Lennart Karl has stepped up his recovery from the thigh muscle injury which ruled him out of Germany's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.
Karl, who suffered the injury ahead of Germany's final warm-up game, was seen working with the ball at his feet at Bayern's Säbener Straße complex on Tuesday, just days after returning to light training.
The teenager registered five goals and as many assists in 26 appearances for Vincent Kompany's side in an outstanding debut campaign with the first team.
Watch: Lennart Karl lighting up the game
"I was incredibly grateful [to return to Säbener Straße]," Karl told Bayern's club website last month. "When you're back on the pitch, you realise how much you've missed it all."
Although Bayern's pre-season schedule gets under way on 20 July, Karl has insisted he will not rush the recovery process. "I'm in daily contact with the doctors and athletic trainers," he explained. "We're monitoring very closely how the muscle reacts."
The support of family and friends helped Karl keep a sense of perspective throughout the recovery process.
"It's tough to cope with a setback like that," he admitted. "The first few days [of the injury] were really hard for me. I received a lot of support from Bayern and many messages from the team. What they wrote to me brought me a lot of joy and gave me strength.
"My family helped me the most, as did my girlfriend and my closest friends, who have always stood by me.
"Everyone made it clear to me that injuries are part of the game. What matters is how you come back. That's what motivates me."
