AL SHAMAL, Qatar, Nov 21 – German Jamal Musiala on Monday credited his youth stint in England with helping develop his creative game, which has quickly made him one of football’s rising stars. .
Following a stellar start to the season with Bayern Munich, where he has scored nine goals and provided six assists to date, the 19-year-old is expected to lead Germany’s attack, operating between midfield and forward. .
His speed, his passing, his creative play and his goalscoring ability have quickly drawn comparisons to other big names, with former German national team captain Lothar Matthäus comparing him to Argentine star Lionel Messi.
“I think a comparison with Messi is something like an honour,” Musiala told a news conference. “He plays at the highest level for so long and being compared to him is a little difficult. I just focus on myself and what I can do better as Jamal and move on.”
Few would have thought just two years ago that Musiala, with his slight build, average height and innocent looks, which earned him the nickname “Bambi”, would become one of Germany’s key players for the 2022 World Cup.
“I think in England you learn different things than in Germany. I took a lot of things with me. They told me ‘play freely,'” he said.
“This is something that I took with me in my career and this will stay with me.”
He will have the chance to prove it on the main stage on Wednesday when the Germans kick off their Group E run against Japan.
They also play Spain and Costa Rica and are eager to make up for their shock first-round exit in 2018.