German national football coach Joachim Loew may have to rethink his choice for top goalkeeper for the World Cup in South Africa after his designated number one, Rene Adler, broke a rib during a Bundesliga match last Saturday.

It was announced on Tuesday that 25-year-old Adler, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, suffered the injury during last Saturday's 2-1 defeat against Stuttgart.

There are fears that this could jeopardize his place as number one goalie during the soccer tournament, which starts on June 11.

But Adler is staying optimistic. "The doctors say the fracture is expected to heal pretty quickly, so I am cautiously optimistic," he said in a press release by his club.

But Adler will have to miss at least Saturday's clash against Hanover.

He won the first of his nine caps in October 2008, and at the beginning of March this year Loew chose him as number one keeper over Schalke's Manuel Neuer and Bremen's Tim Wiese.

Germany have drawn Australia, Serbia and Ghana in Group D and play warm-up matches against Malta on May 13, Hungary on May 29 and Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 3.

ng/dpa/AFP

Editor: Susan Houlton