Soccer pros have usually forgotten about friendlies against the club’s U19s the next day. But Niklas Süle remembers this one game very well. “You saw relatively quickly what extraordinary skills Jamal has,” said national defender Borussia Dortmund on Monday afternoon.
Süle gave a press conference with Jamal Musiala before the Germans trained in the Al Shamal Stadium near their World Cup base in Al Ruwais in Qatar. Until last summer, Süle played with Musiala for Munich, after the test match at that time, the talent quickly trained regularly with the professionals of the German record champions.
The interest in the 19-year-old is huge: Musiala is the hope of the Germans before the first group game of the selection against Japan on Wednesday (2 p.m., ARD). A teenager on the way to becoming a world star. This World Cup, the big football stage, can take it to the next level.
Along with 19-year-old England’s Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund and Pedri from FC Barcelona, Musiala is the most valuable football teenager in the world – all three have a market value of around one hundred million euros. Argentina’s superstar Lionel Messi was only worth around a third at that age.
Lothar Matthäus was 21 when he played his first World Cup in Spain in 1982. The record national player says in an interview with WELT: “Jamal Musiala is already a difference player at 19. Maradona was already at 19, Messi at 19 too.”
When Germany won the World Cup in Rio in 2014, Musiala was eleven years young. He watched the final in Rio de Janeiro with his parents on television from the sofa at home in England. “Seeing Mario Götze’s winning goal was a good experience,” said Musiala.
Germany is preparing for the World Cup opener against Japan. “You can’t wait for it to start. We’re all a bit more tense,” said Bayern professional Serge Gnabry at the DFB press conference.
Source: WORLD
The young star was born in Stuttgart (mother German, father from Nigeria) and lived in Fulda for a while before the family moved to England because his mother was studying. Before moving to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2019, he played for Chelsea FC for more than eight years, before that at Southampton FC. The English reporters are correspondingly interested in him at this World Cup.
“You might learn different things in English youth football than in Germany,” said Musiala. “I took a lot with me there, especially in terms of individual qualities, one on one. It was definitely good for my career, it will always stay with me.” As a junior international for England, he cheered on their senior team.
“Germany have always been a tournament team and are generally very strong as a team. That’s what sets us apart,” says Musiala. “The English have courage and like to go one-on-one, we can take that from them.”
At 19 years and nine months, Musiala is the second youngest player in the 26-man squad of the German side, only younger is Youssoufa Moukoko from Borussia Dortmund, who turned 18 at the weekend. Musiala recently played his hundredth competitive game for FC Bayern. “Jamal played an outstanding first half of the season,” said his club coach Julian Nagelsmann. Musiala is also a key player for national coach Hansi Flick.
Matthäus is friends with Flick and often speaks to him – also about Musiala. “Hansi is a fan of all his national players, but Jamal has already done it to him because of his genius, his lightness and his speed, I know that.”
Musiala’s greatest strengths are his speed of thought and responsiveness. “Jamal is amazing in that regard,” said Matthäus. “I like his approach to the game. The first look is forward, the first movement is forward. Jamal’s first touch isn’t a stop or a return, it’s a spin, a move straight forward. He really has skills that not many have.”
So will Musiala be the German playmaker at this World Cup, the German number ten? The offensive professional answered this question modestly on Monday afternoon and emphasized that Flick had many options. But his dream is clear: one day to be a world footballer. He doesn’t put too much pressure on himself before the Japan game. “It’s important to be relaxed. Just have fun, then everything will work out,” says Musiala.
Between training sessions in Qatar, Musiala likes to play basketball. The training hall is right next to the media center, the journalists often hear him and other national players cheering and being silly while playing. He usually plays with Leroy Sané and Ilkay Gündogan. Musiala is a big fan of the sport, his favorite NBA team is the Golden State Warriors. “It’s really chilled,” says Musiala about playing basketball in the German camp.
Many are convinced that Musiala has the potential to make his world footballer dream come true. And to shape this World Cup. “I don’t want to praise him too much,” said Süle, who made it clear with a wink that he was taking care of Musiala. “He should keep both feet on the ground. I’m not afraid that he’ll take off.” He just hopes that his young teammate can confirm the form “that he brought with him from Munich at the World Cup.”
If so, Musiala could impress many people again. Like back then in the U19 test match at FC Bayern.