World Cup 2014: Injured Lars Bender out of Germany squad

Lars Bender

Midfielder Lars Bender has been ruled out of Germany's World Cup squad with a thigh injury picked up in training.

The Bayer Leverkusen man, 25, who has been capped 17 times by Germany, has not been replaced in the squad.

Germany coach Joachim Low has other injury worries including veteran Lazio striker Miroslav Klose, who has yet to train, and Real Madrid's Sami Khedira.

"I feel personally very sorry for Lars because I know how much he wanted to be in Brazil," Low said.

"When a player is ruled out so close before a tournament then it is very disappointing for everyone."

Bender's twin brother Sven failed to make Germany's provisional squad because of groin injury while Mario Gomez and Ilkay Guendogan were not included after injury-hit seasons.

Germany captain Philipp Lahm (ankle) and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (shoulder) have yet to arrive at their training base in Italy as they recover from knocks.

The three-time World Cup winners have been drawn in Group G along with Portugal, United States and Ghana.

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund).

Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal).