ᑕ❶ᑐ World Cup 2022: Germany’s Jamal Musiala impresses against Spain and shows potential again

Priceless and unrivaled, German teenager Jamal Musiala now carries the tag of ‘the next Lionel Messi’.

While the four-time world champions’ performances at the tournament have been mixed to say the least, Musiala’s individual performances have once again highlighted what an exciting talent he is.

The Bayern Munich attacking midfielder, who spent most of his childhood in England but prefers to play in his homeland, was a star for Germany in Qatar.

Bottom of Group E by a point, they must beat Costa Rica on Thursday and hope that leaders Spain can beat Japan to avoid a second World Cup first-round exit.

But former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus says Musiala is the key to their hopes now and for years to come.

“He could be the Messi of the future, great,” 1990 World Cup winner Matthaus told BBC Sport. “I have liked him for two years, I like his style of football and his personality.

“He is 19 years old, he is doing things that will make him the best player. He has good passes, is intelligent in his thinking and loves football.

“Musiala can be the next Messi because I met him for the first time when he was 17/18 against Hungary. [the team I managed then] and kicked out after 40 seconds.

“He went on the pitch and tried to show that he loves football, that he has a passion for football, that he’s happy to be here and that [also] Music. I was a big fan of it for two years when it first broke. »

Musiala’s impressive numbers on Sunday night included 84% pass accuracy, 100% completion, seven ground duels, three key assists and an assist on Niclas Fullkrug’s late equalizer.

Musiala is already Bayern Munich’s youngest goalscorer, Germany’s second-youngest goalscorer and the youngest player to play in a major tournament for Germany while participating in Euro 2020.

Now he is ready to make an even bigger impact on the world stage.

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino told BBC One: “For me, Jamal Musiala is one of the most talented young players.

“With Gavi, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, he’s a huge talent. I think he will grow during the World Cup. I think Germany can surprise. »

Former Germany coach and forward Jurgen Klinsmann added: “I think Musiala was the best player in Germany at such a young age.

“It’s full of surprising elements, it’s not afraid. He is a fantastic young player who has grown up in the Bayern system. This is his first World Cup and he will only get bigger and bigger. »

But what about the Stuttgart-born youngster, who joined Bayern in 2019 as a 16-year-old after coming through Chelsea’s academy and playing at youth level in England?

He is under contract with Bayern until 2026 and German journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt believes he is indispensable to the German giants.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I think it’s a real chance for him to announce his arrival on the big stage and see if he can take this team to a place where he hasn’t really worked. Germany in the future. I’d say it’s a real opportunity to cement his reputation. it’s luck.

“There are talks in the German media that he cannot be sold in “Bayern”, that even 400 million euros will not be enough for Jamal Musiala.

“This is how we talk about him, he is the future of this club. There are many things about his game that make him so good. Even when opponents try to bring him down, as we have seen with Lionel Messi over the years, he does not give up. He really is something.

• FIFA World Cup: Groups and schedule
• World Cup TV coverage guide

Get the latest results and goal notifications for any FIFA World Cup team by downloading the BBC Sport app: apple – android – Amazon

Get your daily dose of FIFA World Cup reaction, discussion and analysis world cup every day on BBC Sounds