Germany's World Cup preparations have suffered a double blow with first-choice goalkeeper Rene Adler and midfielder Simon Rolfes were ruled out of the tournament through injury.
The 25-year-old Adler will undergo rib surgery and Rolfes, his Bayer Leverkusen team mate, has failed to recover from a knee injury which has kept him out of action for three months.
Adler became Germany's first-choice keeper after Robert Enke committed suicide last year and he has won nine caps.
Coach Joachim Loew will also have to choose another keeper for the tournament in South Africa which starts next month.
