World Cup stars of the Bundesliga: Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala
Ever since bursting onto the scene in 2020, Jamal Musiala has been one of Germany’s brightest hopes. Now fully ensconced in the national team and with a leading role to boot, the Bayern Munich playmaker could end up being one of the standout performers at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Name: Jamal Musiala
Club: Bayern Munich
Nation: Germany
International debut: 25 March 2021
Caps: 40
International goals: 8
Stats correct as of 19 April 2026
How was his 2025/26 season?
Despite injury keeping him out until the new year, Musiala had worked his way back to full fitness and regained his devastating creative threat at an ideal time for Bayern and Germany in the spring. His three goals and four assists in 15 appearances helped Bayern get over the line and retain their Bundesliga crown, while a delightful backheel for Luis Díaz to rifle in a late aggregate winner in a tense UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg in Munich was a magnificent statement of his return to full impact.
What he brings to the national team
Although he played regularly for England’s youth teams, Musiala decided to pledge his international allegiance to the country of his birth, making his first appearance for Germany in March 2021. He remains one of Julian Nagelsmann’s most influential players ahead of the World Cup.
At UEFA Euro 2024 played out on home soil, Musiala was one of the stars of the show, netting three goals in five appearances – enough to earn him a share of the tournament’s Golden Boot.
His importance is shown by the fact Germany left the number 10 vacant in deciding squad numbers over the March 2026 international break, when Musiala was left out of the squad to help him regain full fitness. Nobody else comes near to his mastery of the playmaking role.
What his coach says
"We would all be incredibly happy if he gets fit and can play at the World Cup. He knows that if he’s reasonably on track, there aren’t many coaches in the world who would do without him.” - Nagelsmann
"He’s been playing with more freedom in recent weeks. That obviously helps. Now you can see that this joy in his game is slowly coming back." - Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany, speaking in April 2026
