Hamann says Germany can't afford to omit 18-year-old Lennart Karl

Dietmar Hamann has urged Julian Nagelsmann to take Bayern youngster Lennart Karl to the World Cup, saying the 18-year-old already plays like a seasoned pro. Karl has parlayed a handful of senior appearances for Bayern into a place in Nagelsmann's latest Germany squad, earning selection for friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana and positioning himself firmly in the frame for the tournament.

Hamann told Sky Sport: "He's 18 and has only been playing professionally for eight or nine months, but you get the feeling that there's a seasoned pro on the pitch. Everything he does has a naturalness and ease. With his ability to outmaneuver opponents one-on-one and create numerical superiority on the wing, we simply can't afford not to take him to the World Cup, given the players we have available." The former midfielder said he was surprised by the nominations of Leroy Sane and Pascal Gross, noting Sane "hasn't been starting in Istanbul recently" and that Gross' inclusion was unexpected.

Germany

dietmar hamann, julian nagelsmann, lennart karl, bayern, germany squad, world cup, friendlies, switzerland, ghana, leroy sane