Germany’s Jamal Musiala attends a information convention on the Al-Shamal stadium on the eve of the group E World Cup match between Germany and Japan. AP
Al Shamal: When Mario Goetze scored in further time towards Argentina to win the 2014 World Cup for Germany, an 11-year-old Jamal Musiala watched from his sofa alongside his dad and mom in London.
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Eight years later and nonetheless three months shy of his twentieth birthday, the previous Chelsea youth star has established himself as an important a part of Hansi Flick’s XI in Qatar.
The Bayern Munich ahead, nicknamed “Bambi” for his youthful look, opened Monday’s Germany press convention by reiterating the necessity to preserve his cool.
Germany start their newest World Cup title cost on Wednesday towards Japan within the Doha warmth.
“I really feel it’s necessary to convey a little bit of looseness, to not put an excessive amount of stress on your self and to have a little bit of enjoyable, after which it’ll go properly,” stated Musiala, whose calm on the ball is essential in Germany’s high-octane assault.
“Jamal is a laid-back man,” teammate Niklas Suele, 27, stated whereas sitting alongside {the teenager}, who has been showered with reward after a surprising home season through which he has scored 9 objectives and had six assists in 15 league video games with Bayern.
German legend Lothar Matthaeus says that Musiala is so good that he compares him with Lionel Messi.
“Being in comparison with Messi, it’s somewhat tough,” Musiala stated on Monday at Germany’s remoted coaching camp in Al-Shamal, northern Qatar.
“I’m targeted on myself and what I can do higher as Jamal.”
Musiala’s type has been so robust that Bayern have hardly observed the absence of talisman Thomas Mueller, who has missed a lot of the season to this point with harm.
‘Play with freedom’Born in Stuttgart, Musiala moved to England on the age of seven. He returned to Germany in 2019 after spending eight years within the Chelsea youth set-up.
Musiala represented England all through his teenage years however in February 2021 opted to swap allegiance to Germany, regardless of Gareth Southgate’s makes an attempt to maintain him.
Former Bayern and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves has referred to as Musiala “one in every of a form” and says he “had one thing that England doesn’t have”.
Musiala stays good mates with a number of present English stars, together with 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Musiala stated his decade in England armed him with abilities that he might not have picked up in Germany.
“Within the England youth set-up you study various things than you do in Germany. I’ve taken an actual lot from (that point), like high quality taking part in as a person and in one-on-one conditions,” he stated.
“A saying they typically repeated was ‘play with freedom’, which I’ve tried to implement all through my profession (and which) will all the time be part of me.”
Previously Musiala’s teammate at Bayern earlier than an low season transfer to Dortmund, Suele recalled the second he recognised {the teenager}’s “unbelievable” expertise.
“We performed towards the under-19s and you may see what unbelievable abilities and talents he had,” stated Suele, including that “after this sport, he was moved to the skilled facet”.
Whereas admitting that as a youngster he “supported England” and was nonetheless “joyful once they win video games”, Musiala believes Germany can flip it on when it issues.
“We got here into the match with the mindset that we are able to win,” he stated.
“We’re properly ready and pumped as much as know that the match is beginning.”
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