Lars Bender out of World Cup as Germany's midfield crisis worsens

Lars Bender is out of the World cup with a thigh injury. The midfielder was injured in training on Thursday and now Germany's midfield crisis is worse than ever before.

Germany were shorthanded in the midfield before Joachim Loew even named his World Cup team as Ilkay Gundogan and Sven Bender were ruled out though injury. Sami Khedira made the team, but he suffered an ACL tear in November and just returned to action in the last couple weeks, while Bastian Schweinsteiger has been limited in training with a knee injury.

With so many central midfielders hurt, Lars Bender was going to be depended upon there, but now he is out too and Loew has insisted that he will not call in other players. Now, Germany will have to pray that Schweinsteiger can get fit, then pair him with an out-of-position Toni Kroos or turn to Matthias Ginter or Christoph Kramer, a 20-year-old with two caps and a 23-year-old with one cap.

Germany are still undoubtedly, but they aren't as bulletproof as they once looked. They have a serious problem in the central midfield and that's the last place you want to start falling apart.