One of the most circulated pictures in German sports media in the past year shows Jude Bellingham sitting alongside Jamal Musiala, both 17 at the time and wearing England jerseys. The picture spotlights the friendship between two gifted players who once played against each other at ping-pong tables and video game consoles, and have now become dominant in the German Bundesliga. While Bellingham already had his first statement performance for England on Monday, his good friend is determined to do the same on Wednesday when Germany meet Japan in World Cup Group E.
“I think we have a really good team with which we can get really far,” Musiala tells ESPN. “The quality is there to be a contender for the title. We go to this tournament with the mindset to be able to win the cup. You have to believe in it. I do.”
The 19-year-old has travelled to Qatar with huge ambitions and the outcome of Germany’s World Cup title quest depends on Musiala more than some people may realize. During the first half of the season, he was the standout player at Bayern Munich where head coach Julian Nagelsmann has begun to build the entire system around Musiala as his no. 10.
Germany head coach Hansi Flick, who mentored the up-and-coming talent during his time at Bayern Munich and wanted him to choose Germany over England (where Musiala had played for Chelsea‘s academy from 2011 to 2019) has also identified his former pupil as the centerpiece of his offensive structure, with Musiala providing an element of unpredictability due to his dribbling skills.
“Musiala is a prime example of what we like to call a ‘needle player’ — a player who carries the ball through small gaps and tight spaces in-between multiple opponents. His technique, but especially his agility and quick decision-making, allow him to do that like not many others,” says tactical analyst and coach Martin Rafelt.
