Saïd El Mala and Lennart Karl: A look at two of Germany's brightest stars
The Bundesliga’s renowned conveyor belt of talent has produced two new rising stars in Saïd El Mala and Lennart Karl, who are both already shining bright for Cologne and Bayern Munich, respectively.
Cologne’s El Mala and Bayern’s Karl have announced themselves to the world after enjoying sensational starts to their professional careers.
Young players don’t necessarily have it easy at Bayern, but as the old adage goes: if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. And that’s certainly the case when it comes to Karl, who is considered one of the most exciting youngsters in German football.
Watch: The best of Lennart Karl
Handed his Bundesliga debut at 17 years and 181 days, the attacking midfielder became Bayern’s third-youngest player to score a Bundesliga goal - after Jamal Musiala and Mathys Tel – when he opened his account against Borussia Monchengladbach with a magnificent, curling strike into the top corner.
Amassing five goal involvements (three goals, two assists) in 14 Bundesliga appearances, Karl has already become a key player for Vincent Kompany’s outfit, starting eight of their last nine competitive matches. Additionally, only Harry Kane has averaged a shot at goal more often than his new teammate, who does so every 27 minutes.
In particular, though, Karl’s fearless dribbling combined with explosive speed has made the teenager a nightmare for opposing defences – much like his compatriot, El Mala.
Cologne’s newfound superstar is the most prolific teenager in the Bundesliga this season, returning seven goals and providing two assists.
Watch: The best of El Mala in the Bundesliga
After starring for 3. Liga side Viktoria Cologne last season, where he scored 13 goals in 32 appearances (30 starts), El Mala has not looked out of place in the top flight. In fact, the 19-year-old’s transition to the Bundesliga has been seamless.
Featuring in all 16 games for the Billy Goats, the dazzling winger is exhilarating to watch with his turn of pace and ability to beat his marker. Also, even at such a young age, he has already exhibited his clinical finishing in front of goal; no player has scored more goals than El Mala (four) after coming on as a substitute this season.
Comfortable on either flank, El Mala constantly seeks out one-on-one battles, with only RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Bayern’s Michael Olise having dribbled past more opponents than the teenager in the Bundesliga this season.
Watch: Sky's the limit for these rising stars
“Saïd is a good boy, a street footballer who simply has God-given gifts,” Cologne head coach Lukas Kwasniok told Sky Germany after their 1-0 win against Hoffenheim, a game in which El Mala scored the winner.
Averaging a goal or assist every 81 minutes, the youngster's rise caught the eye of Julian Nagelsmann, who awarded him a maiden Germany call-up in November. After making his professional debut in February 2024 at 17, El Mala's rise has been exponential.
Karl has not yet made the step up to the senior national team, but you feel it won’t be long before Nagelsmann gives him the opportunity. After all, he scored three times in his first two U21 caps in November, and has already impressed in the UEFA Champions League, the biggest stage at club level.
On his first start in the competition, he found the back of the net against Club Brugge – becoming Bayern’s youngster-ever goalscorer in the competition in the process - before doing so in his next two appearances against Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon. That made him the youngest player in Champions League history to score in three consecutive matches.
Unsurprisingly, Karl’s development and performances have earned praise from plenty of quarters, including teammate Kane. The England captain said earlier this campaign, “He's a fantastic player. He's not afraid to dribble. He just has to keep working hard, and he'll have a great future ahead of him."
Nevertheless, his boss, Kompany, is eager not to put too much pressure on the prodigious talent. "As a young player, you don't have pressure. I want Lennart to feel that too. He has to enjoy what he's doing. If he makes mistakes, we'll discuss it. Hopefully, at some point, the pressure will be on his shoulders. But for now he should enjoy these moments without any pressure."
Both Karl and El Mala appear to be playing the game without the weight of expectation on their shoulders – an impressive feat given the excitement surrounding them. As Bayern travel to Cologne on Wednesday to round off the first half of the season, eyes will be on them once more.
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