'Bambi' Musiala ready to be Germany's alpha male at WC
Germany fans are hoping Bayern Munich wunderkind Jamal Musiala will slash their pre-tournament title odds once the World Cup starts next month, with the teenager having quickly become a key player in Hansi Flick's team.
Few would have thought just two years ago that Musiala, with his light frame, medium height and innocent demeanour, would become one of the leaders of the Germany team for the 2022 World Cup and Bayern's second-top scorer so far this season.
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A Germany and England youth international, Musiala opted to play for his birth country at senior level with then Germany coach Joachim Loew giving him his first start last year.
In some 18 months he has become indispensable with his exceptional reading of the game in midfield, his speed, change of pace and turns and his goalscoring ability proving crucial.
"Jamal has this completeness that is just so good for us as a team," Flick has said about the player he knows since his Bayern coaching days.
Nicknamed Bambi by his Bayern team mates for his youthful appearance, Musiala is anything but a deer caught in headlights when he is on the pitch, having already bagged seven goals and four assists in the Bundesliga so far.
While he enjoys his attacking midfield role he is equally at ease as a winger or even as a defensive midfielder.
After spending eight years in Chelsea's youth teams, Musiala joined Bayern in 2019 as a 16-year-old and has never looked back.
It did not take long for Musiala to establish himself in a star-studded squad, with his creative play slicing open opponents' defences, and with an eye for goal posing a constant threat from inside and outside the box.
He quickly earned praise from his Germany team mates with Ilkay Guendogan calling him the future of German football while captain Manuel Neuer highlighted his coolness under pressure.
"He brings a certain lightness with him, he has a dynamism and is really difficult to separate from the ball," goalkeeper Neuer said after Musiala scored once and set up two more goals in a 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Sept. 30.
"He can suddenly leave two or three players behind. He is a key player for the key moments."
It is that role Germany fans hope Musiala can play in Qatar as the team look to make amends for their shock 2018 World Cup first-round exit, their earliest elimination in 80 years.
FLICK'S GERMANY STILL AN ENIGMA BUT SEEK WORLD CUP REDEMPTION
Germany are almost always among the title favourites at international tournaments but it is hard to predict how far Hansi Flick's team will progress at this year's World Cup in Qatar.
The coach, who took over last year after Joachim Loew's 15-year spell in charge, is no stranger to World Cups, having been Germany's assistant coach in their 2014 title win, their fourth World Cup trophy.
Unlike that tournament in Brazil, however, Germany are far from favourites this time round, with bookmakers putting their pre-tournament odds at 10-1 to lift the trophy.
Given their run in recent years this does not really come as a surprise and their Group E opponents, Spain, Japan and Costa Rica, will no doubt have been briefed.
The Germans suffered a shock first-round exit as defending champions in 2018 in Russia -- their earliest in 80 years -- and then finished bottom in their inaugural Nations League group before a change of rules prevented them from being relegated.
At Euro 2020, held last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they crashed out at the Round of 16, a second consecutive early tournament exit.
Before 2018, the Germans had reached at least the semi-finals in every World Cup or European Championship from 2006 to 2016.
The arrival of Flick last year, after he won six major trophies with Bayern Munich, led to renewed optimism after an eight-game winning streak to start his tenure, although they came against weaker teams including Liechtenstein, Israel, Armenia and Iceland among others.
But injuries and constant changes to the squad have seen Germany win only one of their last seven internationals, with Flick still trying to find his best team.
Their loss to Hungary and the draw against England after leading 2-0 in September have raised more questions than provided answers ahead of the tournament starting on Nov. 20.
The backline led by Antonio Ruediger is far from finalised, with Flick also considering recalling defender Mats Hummels, who is enjoying a strong season with Borussia Dortmund.
Germany's midfield is brimming with talent and experience with Jamal Musiala, who is in stellar form for Bayern, emerging as a key player in orchestrating their attacking game.
Up front the lack of an out-and-out centre forward remains a major question, with Kai Havertz and Serge Gnabry more comfortable playing wide.
There have been calls to include 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko of Dortmund and Werder Bremen's Niclas Fuellkrug, who leads the Bundesliga scorers' list.
No matter what the final squad looks like, Germany fans expect nothing less than redemption in Qatar and Flick has repeatedly said the semi-final was their first goal but that he believed his team could also go all the way.
There could be no better way to make amends for the 2018 fiasco than with another world crown.
FOLLOWING IS A STATBOX ON GERMANY AT THE WORLD CUP.
FIFA Ranking: 11
Odds: 10-1
Previous tournaments:
Making their 20th World Cupappearance, Germany have won the title four times. After a surprise 1954 victory over favourites Hungary, they lifted the trophy as West Germany in 1974 at home and again in 1990 before their triumph at Brazil 2014.
They were also runners-up four times and reached at least the semi-finals in all editions between 2002 and 2014.
But they suffered a shock first round exit as defending champions at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, their earliest elimination in the tournament for 80 years.
How they qualified:
The Germans, who started the qualifiers under then coach Joachim Loew before current coach Hansi Flick took over in September last year, had a near flawless run through Group J with nine wins and a loss.
Their only defeat was a 2-1 at home against North Macedonia.
They scored 36 goals and conceded just four as they finished top of the group that also included Romania, Armenia, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Form guide:
Germany had not lost a game under coach Hansi Flick until last month's home defeat by Hungary in the Nations League. They have won nine matches, drawn five and lost one under Flick.
While they beat arguably weaker opponents en route to their World Cup qualifying group win, they have struggled to show the same consistency against tougher opponents.
Their 3-3 draw against England at Wembley in their final real test before the finals showed Flick's team still need fine-tuning for the World Cup after giving up a two-goal lead.
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