From England’s young talent to Germany’s shining star – the ascent of Musiala
Social media is brimming with images of Jamal Musiala donning the iconic Three Lions jersey, celebrating goals and victories alongside midfielder Jude Bellingham during his youth career.
England’s football community might have felt a twinge of FOMO, or the fear of missing out, as the 21-year-old Musiala netted three goals in his first four matches and was named player of the match in a 5-1 thrashing of Scotland on opening day.
Germany’s manager, Julian Nagelsmann, praises the “brilliant” Musiala, urging him to keep playing “like he is on a small pitch in Germany or England with his friends.”
However, this product of both English and German football development was once an unknown talent to the German Football Association.
Kevin Betsy, now the assistant manager at Cambridge United, coached Musiala across three age groups in England’s youth setup. Betsy shared with BBC Sport, “I scouted Jamal at an Under-12s tournament in Brighton, where he was playing up front for Chelsea. He was tiny, one of the smallest players on the pitch, but he exhibited amazing intelligence, understanding of the game, quickness over the first five meters, and exceptional dribbling ability.
“Driving home, I realized I had seen something special. Although we weren’t selecting any underage players for England’s first Under-15s squad, we made an exception for Jamal and Jude Bellingham. I don’t think Germany was aware of his talent or level until he played against them and stood out.”
Betsy recalled that Musiala had an initial stint with Germany at the Under-16 level but did not enjoy his first camp and returned to play for England’s Under-17s. “Once again, he faced Germany, this time as England’s captain, and was exceptional against them,” Betsy added. “After the game, their youth coach remarked, ‘I didn’t realize he was that good.’ That match, coupled with Jamal’s move to Bayern Munich, likely tipped the scales in Germany’s favor.”
Musiala’s journey from a promising youngster in England’s football ranks to a star in Germany’s national team highlights his unique development and the significant role that both nations played in shaping his career.
Musiala was born in Stuttgart, one of the cities hosting Euro 2024, and through his father, Daniel Richard, he was also eligible to play for Nigeria.
His mother, Carolin, secured a place on an Erasmus course in Southampton, which brought the family to England. Shortly after their arrival, Musiala joined City Central FC in Southampton. His first coach, Rosh Bhatti, confidently posted on Facebook in January 2011 that “Saints may be signing a player who is so talented that I am confident enough to say he will become a professional footballer one day despite being just seven years old.”
Southampton was keen on Musiala but lost him in a competition with Arsenal and Chelsea. The Blues won out as Musiala’s mother found a job in Surrey after her studies, conveniently close to Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.
Musiala then attended Corpus Christi school in New Malden, where his personal development was guided by PE teacher Tony Mesourouni. Mesourouni remarked, “He didn’t speak fluent English when he came here, but sport helped him settle into the school. He showed great resilience to adapt and always worked hard.
“He was part of the chess club, practiced martial arts, and learned to read and write English to the point where he could compose a wonderful poem about his life in football just before leaving. I still tell the kids today about Jamal’s story; he put 110% into everything. I get goosebumps seeing where he is now.”
The poem titled ‘Moment’ reads:
“I am sitting in the car. I’m looking out of the window. Outside it’s cold – it’s wintertime. But I’m sweating. I’m nervous. I don’t know what will happen. Suddenly the car stops. I close my eyes. I take a deep breath. I’m not nervous anymore. I’m happy. I know what I’ve to do. My dad opens the door and says ‘Good luck for your first trial for one of the best Premier League clubs!’ I’m playing like never before.”
This early journey highlights Musiala’s resilience and adaptability, which played a crucial role in his development from a talented child to a professional footballer, now recognized on both the English and German football stages.
Through his school football, Musiala first met Gareth Southgate, who was then the head of elite development at the FA.
Mesourouni recounted, “We won Premier League tournaments at the Emirates, Anfield, and Wembley, where Jamal represented Fulham, Brentford, and AFC Wimbledon. Gareth might not remember that initial meeting with Jamal, but he delivered a training session before our final and commented that our number eight, Jamal, is a ‘very good player’.
“We then had a tour of Wembley, where Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick was being explained to the kids. Jamal said he wanted to replicate it, and he went on to score four goals in the final, leading us to victory.”
Southgate next encountered Musiala when he formally joined England’s setup at age 13, coinciding with his more serious football involvement at Chelsea. Around this time, in 2014, Musiala also started attending Whitgift School, a fee-paying institution in Croydon. Andrew Martin, the school’s director of football, recalled, “We’re a very strong sports school. We first saw Jamal play against us in the semi-final of a Year Six cup competition. We lost 9-4, and he scored four goals.
“He was quiet, unassuming, and polite but had immense self-belief on the pitch – it’s probably the greatest confidence I’ve seen in a boy. He played as an out-and-out number nine for us, and hat-tricks were commonplace.
“But one game stands out to me. He was getting kicked by a much bigger team from Peterborough. At halftime, he came to me upset, and I told him to stick with it and that the chances would come. In the second half, he scored two goals.”
Musiala left Whitgift after scoring 122 goals in three years, playing in four national finals and winning three.
Multiple factors began driving Musiala away from Chelsea and eventually from England.
Six months earlier, Bayern Munich had been pursuing winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, who shared the same agency as Musiala. During negotiations for Hudson-Odoi, Bayern also expressed interest in Musiala, then 16 years old and available for a £170,000 compensation fee. Chelsea was unable to secure him on professional terms by his 17th birthday.
Musiala believed Bayern offered a better pathway for his development, and within a year, he made his first-team debut, becoming the club’s youngest ever player. His Bayern teammates encouraged him to play for Germany, and then-manager Joachim Low, the 2014 World Cup-winning coach, was also influential.
Although England was disappointed to lose him, there is no bitterness as they take pride in being part of his journey. Former England youth coach Kevin Betsy noted, “Gareth had a really strong relationship with Jamal from a young age, but there was never any pressure. These families trust you with their child; there is a duty of care. It’s just love, appreciation, and making the best of your time with them.”
Musiala always spoke German as his first language and experienced less travel time and competition after choosing to play for Die Mannschaft in 2021. Those close to him say he felt more German, and now that he is excelling at a home tournament, it seems this was always his destiny.