Germany Dealt Blow as Injury Rules Deisler Out of World Cup
March 19, 2006
Deisler sustained the injury to his right knee in a training ground collision with Bayern Munich team-mate Owen Hargreaves on Tuesday.
A specialist in the United States confirmed the seriousness of the injury meaning more World Cup heartache for the 26-year-old who also missed the 2002 World Cup finals with a knee problem.
His loss is a major blow for the host nation and Germany manager Jürgen Klinsmann who had made him a regular on the right side of midfield.
Deisler's career has been blighted by injuries and he has undergone five operations on his right knee in the past eight years.
Injuries and depression curtail wonderboy's progress
As a 17-year-old Deisler was touted as the golden boy of German football but injuries and a fragile mental condition have hindered his progress.
He suffered from depression after undergoing five successive knee operations and in November 2003 was admitted to the Max-Planck-Institute for Psychiatry in Munich as the pressure took its toll.
Deisler recovered and returned to the first team but then relapsed into depression in October last year ahead of a vital Champions League group match with Juventus.
The German star has since recovered but must now stomach another blow and watch the World Cup finals, running from June 9 until July 9, on the television.