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Nigeria born Bayern ace Jamal Musiala opts to play for Germany

 

Nigeria born former England junior international and Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala has opted to represent Germany at the international level.

The 17 year old only yesterday made history as Bayern Munich’s youngest-ever Champions league scorer grabbing a goal in the 4-1 demolition of Lazio.

Sky Sports News reported earlier in February that the young Bayern star would be called up by Germany’s senior squad and England’s U21s ahead of the next international break scheduled for the end of March.

Musiala, born in Stuttgart to a German mother and British-Nigerian father, has represented England at youth team level on 22 occasions and took part in the last two training camps with Aidy Boothroyd’s U21 side.

However, despite admitting to being torn between the two countries, the 17-year-old confirmed that he wishes to represent the country of his birth.

“I’ve thought about this question a lot,” he told The Athletic. “What is best for my future? Where do I have more chances to play?

“In the end, I just listened to the feeling that over a long period of time kept telling me that it was the right decision to play for Germany, the land I was born in.

“Still, it wasn’t an easy decision for me. England is home for me. It is difficult to find words for what England means for me because I have so many memories connected to very positive emotions.

“I have a heart for Germany and a heart for England. Both hearts will keep on beating.”

Musiala, who represented England at youth team level on 22 occasions, is expected to sign his first professional contract with Bayern on his 18th birthday on Friday this week.

The attacking wide player began his playing career on Chelsea’s books having moved to Stamford Bridge in 2011 following a brief spell with Southampton.

He was enlisted at the Whitgift School in Croydon, where Callum Hudson-Odoi, Victor Moses and Bertrand Traore all spent their formative years of education.

Musiala showed class against Lazio Tuesday

But Musiala left the club’s academy in July 2019 and was snapped up by Bayern and has continued his development with the Bundesliga club’s junior teams.

He became the youngest player to appear in the Bundesliga for the club when he made his debut against Freiburg in June, aged just 17 years and 115 days.

Back in September, aged 17 years and 205 days, Musiala became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer during Bayern’s 8-0 win over Schalke, eclipsing a 21-year record set by Roque Santa Cruz.

Read AlsoKirmich , Musiala set Champions League record

On Tuesday, Musiala struck his first Champions League goal in only his fourth appearance in the competition making him the second-youngest player to score in the knockout stages, behind Bojan (17 years, 217 days) for Barcelona against Schalke in the quarter-finals in 2007/08.

His commitment to the Allianz Arena which is about to fetch him  on a bumper new £100,000-a-week five-year deal will end speculation regarding his club future having reportedly caught the attention of Liverpool and Manchester United.

 

 

 

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