Australia's opening World Cup opponents Germany have suffered yet another injury blow with midfielder Christian Traesch ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury.

The German Football Federation (DFB) on Tuesday confirmed Traesch would join a lengthy injury list that already includes captain Michael Ballack (ankle), first choice goalkeeper Rene Adler (rib) and midfielder Simon Rolfes (knee).

The 22-year-old Traesch twisted his right ankle on Monday night just eight minutes into a Germany XI's 4-0 win over Italian third-division side FC Tyrol in a World Cup warm-up match at their north Italian training camp.

An MRI scan at a hospital in nearby Bolzano, north Italy, revealed the Stuttgart midfielder has damaged ankle ligaments and can not train for the next 14 days with the World Cup set to begin on June 11.

Germany face the Socceroos in Durban on June 13 and Loew has now lost two key midfielders in just two weeks.

"It was a stupid situation, but it looks as though there is no tear in the ligaments," said Loew after Traesch tripped over on the pitch.

With Ballack also ruled out after suffering an ankle injury playing for Chelsea in England's FA Cup final 10 days ago, Loew has lost yet another midfield option.

Alongside Stuttgart team-mate Sami Khedira, Traesch had been an alternative Loew was considering to replace Ballack at the heart of Germany's midfield.

Apart from Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski and Piotr Trochowski, Loew is now lacking experienced midfielders.

Loew must register his final 23-man World Cup squad with FIFA on June 1 and has yet to decide who will captain the side in Ballack's absence and whether Bayern Munich's Hans-Joerg Butt or Schalke's Manuel Neuer will start in goal.

Germany also face Serbia and Ghana in Group D at the World Cup.

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