Under-21 Players to Watch — No.2: Jamal Musiala, the player Germany built their World Cup around — and the injury comeback that makes him more dangerous

The argument for Musiala at number two rather than number one comes down to a single fact: Lamine Yamal exists. In any other generation, in any other tournament, Musiala would be the obvious choice for the top of every young player list. He is that good. The 22-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder is the most technically gifted German player since Mesut Özil in his peak years — and Musiala is significantly more complete than Özil ever was.

His dribbling, his close control in tight spaces, his ability to carry the ball past pressing defenders and emerge on the other side with options intact — these are qualities that separate elite players from world-class ones. Musiala is world-class. He was world-class at 19. He is more world-class now, because the injury period that kept him out for months gave him time to think about the game in ways that continuous playing does not always allow.

What makes him exceptional

The specific quality that makes Musiala the most exciting player in German football is his ability to operate in tight central spaces without losing control of the ball or the situation. Most players, when pressed by two opponents simultaneously in their own half, either play backwards or lose possession. Musiala plays forward. The technical confidence required to make that decision consistently — to trust both the touch and the read of the game simultaneously — is the rarest quality in football and the one that separates players who are very good from players who change matches.

He does it for Bayern Munich week after week in the most competitive domestic league in Europe. He does it in the Champions League against the best defensive structures on the continent. The World Cup is the next step — the stage where those qualities get their global audience.

The injury and the return

Musiala missed significant time with a serious injury. The return has been gradual, managed carefully by Bayern and by Germany's medical staff. But the performances since coming back suggest that the quality has not diminished — if anything, the additional clarity that comes from losing something temporarily and recovering it has sharpened his focus and his appreciation of the game he is playing.

Players who return from serious injury at major tournaments with something to prove are among the most dangerous in world football. The motivation is different. The appreciation is heightened. The determination to demonstrate that the injury has not defined them tends to produce performances that stay in the memory long after the tournament ends.

What Germany need from him

Germany's World Cup ambitions rest significantly on Musiala's shoulders. Florian Wirtz provides the creative depth alongside him. But Musiala is the difference-maker — the player who can produce the moment from nothing, who can take a match that is going nowhere and force it into a direction that suits Germany. Julian Nagelsmann has built the system around giving him the freedom to do exactly that.

Germany have not won a World Cup since 2014. Musiala, at 22, with a full tournament available to him in North America, is the best chance they have had since then of producing the individual talent to go all the way.

Age: 22 | Club: Bayern Munich | Nation: Germany
Status: Germany's primary creative and attacking threat, returning from injury

No.1 tomorrow — Eighteen years old. Arguably the best player in the world right now, regardless of age. Spain are tournament favourites and he is the primary reason. Number one tomorrow — and there is no debate about it. Back to VivaSportsHQ →