Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala a standout among Europe’s top wonderkids

Bayern Munich can lay claim to one of Europe’s brightest rising talents in teenage attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala, who at nineteen is already the leading scorer and assister for the Rekordmeister in the Bundesliga campaign to date.

How good is he among Europe’s elite? By the eye test, he’ll be at the very top. And indeed, in one important metric: shot-creating actions, Musiala is in the top three. But two intriguing players are above him: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the 21-year-old Napoli winger Bayern nearly signed in 2021, and RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai — who is way out ahead of the field.

Szoboszlai is a Hungary international and a 22-year-old attacking midfielder par excellence — and one Bayern will get a chance to look at up close next Friday when Bundesliga action returns with a trip to Leipzig. Now in his second season there, the Hungarian has settled in and stepped up his game, with seven assists already from his thirteen games in the Hinrunde.

Rounding out the list are some of the other top wonderkid names in Europe: Manchester City’s Phil Foden (22), Arsenal FC’s Bukayo Saka (21), Real Madrid’s Rodrygo (22) and Vinicius Jr. (22), and AC Milan’s Rafael Leão (23).

And that’s one other thing that sets the Bavarian wunderkind apart — Musiala has yet to turn twenty, and yet the German prodigy is already indispensable for both club and country. What heights might he reach with another couple years of seasoning under Julian Nagelsmann?