Rise of the Boy: On the surprising star of Bayern Munich

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In an in-depth look at the processes that world football is going through in the time of the Corona, one can also identify positive signs. The recurring injuries, the crowded game board and the disease that has hit the waves in European teams, are also giving rise to opportunities for young players out of the huge economic-health crisis. Jamal Musiala, The rising talent of Bayern Munich, is surely one of those youngsters who have taken this opportunity with both hands (and feet) in the last tropical months.

On 23 February, on the eve of the Champions League quarter-final against Lazio, Bayern Munich arrived without Thomas Müller being ordered to remain in solitary confinement after being verified at Corona, and without the injured Serge Gnabri, Douglas Costa and Corinthian Tolisso. Coach Hanzi Flick put the keys in the offensive link at Musicala, who gave him back big time. In the 24th minute, the boy subdued with a flat, not strong kick, and accurately the elderly Pepe Reina and raised the European champion to 0: 2 at the Olimpico. It ended in 1: 4 and another convincing victory of the best team in the world.

Two days after his first goal in the Champions League, Musiala celebrated his 18th birthday. These are the most important and formative days in his life and not only because he became the youngest player in the history of the Bavarians to score in the glittering factory, but also following the decision she made immediately after the game. Musiala, the son of a German mother and a Nigerian father who grew up most of his life in England, announced that he would play for the German national team and preferred it over England, although he was already quite a partner in the British youth teams and even scored a goal in the Under-21 national team. Most scoring in the Champions League, only to get up the next morning and find that they missed him for years to come.

Yogi Lev. Convince Musiala to choose Germany (Getty)


As mentioned, Musiala, who was born in Stuttgart, rolled out to England at the age of just eight on a mission with his mother who completed a degree at a university in the south of the kingdom. Before being accepted to Chelsea’s glorious academy, he made his first steps at the Whitegift football school, which has grown players such as Callum Hudson Audoi, Bertrand Traore and Victor Mozes. Andrew Martin, A school principal, testified about Musiala: “When he came to us he was small and thin and not something out of the ordinary. But as soon as you put him on the field, something came to life. He has an outstanding technique, he is a player who can score diverse goals, inside and outside the field. He has an excellent dribble, when he controls both feet well. We knew he would be something special. “

Musiala excelled in all age groups of Chelsea, but did not make it to the senior team. In 2019, Bayern Munich recognized the potential and brought it “home”. Musiala barely managed to play in the reserve team and has already made his debut in the German champions’ senior team against Freiburg in June and has become the youngest player to wear the media in the Bundesliga. Since then he has recorded 15 league appearances and 3 goals, on the way he experienced closely the completion of winning the six titles in 2020 and even posed with Elilo Neymar in the Champions League final – all before he had time to issue a driver’s license.

Musiala tells those around him that his favorite role is that of number 10 – the midfielder under the striker, but he is able to play any role in the midfield, with the Allianz Arena already placed in the midfield at the time of need. If he gains muscle mass in the coming years (and has a lot to aspire to, with Gorka playing next to him), he will certainly not be surprised to see him in position number 8 or even 6 in the future. Evan Hargreaves, Ex-Bayern Munich, was enthusiastic about him from the first moment: “Bayern have a player on every position on the pitch and it’s really amazing to see him play next to them. He’s athletic and fast, good with and without the ball. It’s fun to see him burn the grass at every opportunity.”

“From his first training session with us, you could see that he is something special,” his teammate testifies Joshua Kimich. “He has a lot of tricks in the barrel, he is unpredictable and very dynamic when it comes to controlling the ball and especially the first touch. He is always trying to lead the ball forward.” Sebastian Hans, The current Hoffenheim coach who coached Musiala at Bayern (third league) reserve told of another tier in his personality: “Musiala is an ice-cold guy. If you talk to him before the game, he always shows you that he is focused and calm.”

The fact that Musiala became a legitimate part of the rotation in Munich is not only the result of an injury crisis that befell Bayern, a particularly unsuccessful acquisition campaign at the start of the season, but also in its own right. The 18-year-old midfielder runs on the grass like a completely mature player and proves his place at the highest levels. The Bundesliga is definitely the place to let the boys play and without fear, see Dortmund entry. But when Bayern do it, being European champions, it’s much more impressive. By the end of the season, it is highly doubtful he will be able to sneak into the first team, as long as everyone is healthy, but Flick can rest assured that he has a young and energetic weapon on the bench that can change a game. Musiala did it once not bad at all, helping Bayern finish 3-3 against Leipzig in the previous round.

The meteoric success has already spawned a new contract. Musiala has linked his future with Bayern until 2026 and will earn 5 million euros a season, with the Bavarians able to keep him out of the eyes of Manchester United and Liverpool who have expressed interest in the new talent. Yogi Lev, Germany’s coach, was the man who convinced him to choose a team from the country where he was born and could give him a first summons at the end of the month ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. It is not at all certain that Musiala will be able to reach the Euros this summer, but in Germany he is marked for the next tournaments as a big promise with a great chance that it will be fulfilled to the end.

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