Jamal Musiala: MD29's Man of the Matchday Dancing with the Stars and making history in the Bundesliga at Bayern Munich
Most athletes have to wait until they've retired to go Dancing with the Stars - not Jamal Musiala. He's tearing it up and bringing the house down at Bayern Munich, at barely 18.
Musiala scored twice on Matchday 29 as Bayern Munich opened up a seven-point lead at the head of the Bundesliga thanks to a 3-2 win at Wolfsburg.
The Germany international waltzed past three defenders on his way to breaking the deadlock, just as he had succeeded in doing a week prior against Union Berlin. One spring-loaded leap later he was in the history books as the youngest player to reach six Bundesliga goals.
Twenty-three Bundesliga appearances, not even a year on the pro circuit and just 50 days into adulthood, Musiala replaces Max Meyer (formerly of Schalke, but currently on loan at Cologne from Crystal Palace) in the Bundesliga annals. He already ranks as Bayern's youngest debutant and Bundesliga winner, as well as their greenest goalscorer in league and UEFA Champions League fare. The world really is his oyster.
"Jamal frequently shines and sometimes lets his diamond qualities shine through," Thomas Müller - who set up Musiala's second goal against Wolfsburg - told bundesliga.com.
"Regardless of his abilities on the ball, he’s a player who gets in front of goal. He wants to create shots with what he does, and that’s really key. Even though he can do magical things with the ball, can get past one-on-ones individually, he gets in front of goal. That’s a really important quality and is rare, especially at his age.
"And then to get a second with his head… I’ll say what I’ve seen so far, heading isn’t his specialty, but to then put that back in the corner… hats off to him."
Watch: Thomas Müller waxes lyrical about Jamal Musiala
Fans worldwide were also no doubt doffing their proverbial hats when Musiala made way for Kingsley Coman in the 72nd minute at the Volkswagen Arena. Had supporters been in a position to witness his twinkle-toed brilliance in the flesh, the Bundesliga prom king would doubtless have made way to a standing ovation.
It's the kind of response his performances were generating long before he joined Bayern from the Chelsea academy in July 2019, aged 16.
"Jamal was always marked out for greatness, he just stood out - his goalscoring was phenomenal," Andrew Martin, director of football at the London independent school Musiala attended in his youth, told CNN.
Watch: Musiala's brace against Wolfsburg
"To see his rise in six years fills me with pride. He's obviously respectful of the world-class players he's playing with at Bayern Munich and learning from them.
"But also, inside, I know Jamal will believe in himself and will believe he's as good as them, and I think obviously he's showing that at the moment.
"When he goes onto the pitch, he doesn't turn into a raging monster, but he goes from a quiet, respectful lad to a world-class athlete."
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