BERLIN, May 23 — Germany midfielder Lars Bender has been ruled out of next month’s World Cup in Brazil with a thigh injury, the team said today.

Two days after Germany started their preparations with a training camp in northern Italy, the Bayer Leverkusen player had to pull out of the 27-man provisional squad, Germany said in a brief statement.

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