“Jude and I have always dreamed of playing games like this since we were kids.”

Jamal Musiala (Stuttgart 2003) falls in love with his football. but even more so with his simplicity off the field – in this case it is not a cliché. German star of Bayern visited MARCA in Munich for an interview This will help you get to know this boy better and perhaps we will see him in La Liga soon. As for his family (who were present at the reception), it makes sense that Jamal is so well trained.

Ask. Judging by your style, you could have been born in Spain. He is one of the most “Latin American” German players, perhaps along with Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen).

Reply. There are several people in Germany with the same style and technical ability. Some young people like Wirtz are creative in every game and I think the German public is fascinated by that. In this country, young people are showing this technical quality more and more.

Question: How did you acquire such skill with the ball?

A. Since childhood, I trained at home in the garden or on the street, in the park with my father, with friends… I always trained. I spent hours playing one-on-one with my dad and dribbling the ball with cones. And I think that helped me a lot. He always told me that the training you do in your club when you are young is not enough.

Doing just that won’t make you a better player. So you will have to work overtime on your own to get where you want to go. And this extra work helped me because I felt like I was making progress every day. The more repetitions I did, the more comfortable I gradually became with performing various actions in the game.

Question: Now your younger brother, who turns eight this summer, is involved in this process. They tell me he is “crazy” about football.

A. I have already taught him some tricks, although he already practices all day in the garden, just like I did at his age.

Question: What is your ideal position: number ten or playing on one of the flanks?

A. Definitely like number ten or more on the left wing. These are two positions where I feel pretty good. Being a number 10 gives me a better view of the game and I’ve always liked to turn or go straight to goal.

I also played in other midfield positions, such as full-back or right wing. The lesson is that you take something from each position and it helps you build your overall game as you grow in football.

Question: Now you are number 10 in the German national team. When did your fascination with this number begin?

A. From a young age I looked up to all the big names who wore this number and it was always my favorite. I grew up watching Ronaldinho, Neymar or Messi. Everyone wore ten, and I always dreamed of wearing that first day.

Question: When you were young, who was your favorite player?

R. Without a doubt, Messi and Ronaldinho. I’ve seen dozens and dozens of videos of them. When I was very little, I also had a Zidane T-shirt, I was number ten of the French national team.

Question: But your absolute idol was Messi, right?

A. Yes, I admired him very much, and he always fascinated me. I grew up watching Leo and Neymar. They were my favorite because they entertained me a lot and made me a lot of fun to play. I always stopped to watch them: Leo scoring goals or Neymar doing tricks with the ball. Then I went into the garden and tried to imitate them. I’ve always been a fan of them.

Question: Even when you were little, they bought you the number 19 jersey, which Messi wore for a while in the Argentina national team. It’s right?

A. Yes, and I was happy. I wore this shirt when I was little because I admired him. I was always inspired by his style of play and looked at what he did to see if I could emulate him and thus become a high level player.

Q: You are similar to Messi in that neither of you likes to talk much off the pitch or draw attention to yourself, but with the ball you are the best on the pitch.

A. I am a reserved person, I don’t like to talk a lot and give a lot of interviews.

Q. And in the field?

A. On the grass I always want to touch the ball and touch it often. I feel so good. I think my true personality comes out on the field. In fact, I am an open person and even more so as I get older. Sometimes I can be quiet on the field, but I always try to ask for the ball and tell my teammates exactly what I want.

P. Messi has won 10 championships, plus two Ligue 1s and four Champions Leagues. At 21, you have already won four Bundesligas and the Champions League. Can you imagine achieving your record?

R. I don’t know, I don’t think I can compare anything with Messi, and this is an almost impossible mission. I think it’s futile to compare yourself to Leo or any other player. Year after year I practice my profession and continue to work to become better and win titles for my team. Only then will they arrive safely.

Question: Tell me about that interesting shirt exchange you had with Messi in the PSG-Bayern match in the 22-23 season.

A. In that first game, Alphonso Davies asked Leo for the shirt and I asked Neymar for it and he gave it to me. Then in the second leg I asked Leo for it and he told me we would change it in the dressing room. But then… we had fun celebrating the victory with the fans, I was late for the locker room and I no longer wanted to go into their locker room so as not to disturb them, so I didn’t ask them anymore. It was a joke (laughs).

Q: Tell us something about your friend Jude Bellingham and your memories of playing with him in the England youth teams for so many years.

A. Yes, those were amazing years in England. We always understood each other well on the field and played good football. We were also roommates and always had a great relationship. Today we are good friends because on the field we understood each other very well with the ball. I’m very happy with what he’s achieving at Real Madrid at the moment.

Question: Are you surprised by Jude’s early success in Madrid?

Oh no. I think Jude has always had a great mentality as a player. He has a lot of confidence in himself and doesn’t shy away from big challenges, so I wasn’t surprised to see him like that in Madrid. Of course, his start is not quite usual for a debutant, because a certain amount of patience is always required, but this, frankly speaking, did not surprise me too much. I’ve known Jude’s mentality since he was little.

Question: And now you will be able to meet Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League. What does reuniting with Jude look like a few years later?

A. I’m looking forward to these two games. Jude and I have always, since childhood, dreamed of playing clashes like this.

P. Jude is also very popular in Madrid because he is always very kind to children. You always stop to sign autographs, which you also show in Munich.

A. He is a boy with a very kind heart and has always loved his fans very much. And now he does the same thing as the star. He just shows respect to the fans, and even more so when you become more and more popular. It’s important to show that respect, and I think we’ve both maintained that respect over the years.

Question: Having spent several days here, it seems clear that the real heroine was your mother, who had to raise three children in a different and very difficult country.

A. Yes, I can say a lot about my mother and father. They are a big part of who I am and why I am here now. They tirelessly drove me from school to training. I don’t think I’ll ever have enough time to explain everything they’ve done for me. I definitely never would have gotten here without your help. I am very grateful to them.

Question: It’s not just your family. Your life seems very organized. He already has a foundation, a nutritionist, a medical team…

A. Yes, I have a great team around me. In every specialty there is someone who helps me and makes my life easier. It’s very important, especially at such a young age, to just focus on football and keep improving without thinking about what I need here or what I need there.

Question: You are excellent on the ball, but would you dare to compete with Toni Kroos on long passes?

A. I would never bet on this challenge because Tony is very accurate with his right foot. He does it perfectly, and no, I wouldn’t put money on this story (laughs).

P. Kroos always seems to put the ball in the right place. Do you certify him as a companion?

A. Yes, he always puts the ball in the right place, away from the defender, so you can turn, pass or dribble. I’ve only played two games with him so far, but I’ve already seen what kind of player he is. I can’t wait to see what we can do together as a team at the Euros.

Question: Will his participation make the German dream of winning the Euro at home more feasible?

A. Yes, with the quality we have and what he can give to every player with his simple passes, we can dream big. But I also think we need to go game by game and catch the good vibes. There are many teams that have played at a higher level than us in recent years. We need to go little by little and see how far we can go.

Q. Who is your favorite?

A. France is probably always the favorite. Then there is England with many top level players… there is Spain… You Spaniards have excellent footballers. It will be an interesting tournament to watch because there are always one or two teams that surprise. This is a great opportunity for every country.

Question: What do you think about the team that Spain will represent?

A. I think you have some of the best young players in Europe: Lamin, Gavi, although he is injured, Kubars… I have seen Lamin a little and he seems to be an outstanding player. In addition, Spain has quality midfield players like Pedri. If you look at this category, you will see that Spain is a team that should always be respected.

Ask. Now that we’re talking about the European Championships in Germany… if I say Toni Rudiger, what do you say about him?

A. I would tell him that he is a divine “madman” and also a great protector and a very good man. Toni is very funny. He can tire you out on the pitch when he’s defending against you, but off it he’s a really fun guy. When I play against him, Tony tries to do things to make you leave the game and not play very comfortably… but on the outside he’s probably one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met in football. He is just a wonderful person whom I would always like to have around.

Question: How are the training sessions going against him in the national team?

A. He’s always doing little things, putting his body on you, taking you out of the game… sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but it’s always fun competing with Tony. I enjoy challenging him and I think he enjoys the debate too. This is what takes us to the highest level in the national team. I think we are on the right track.

Question: You are one of the symbols of Nike along with Haaland and Mbappe. What does this mean to you?

A. Yes, I am honored to be part of this “magic triangle” with these two stars. I present Tiempo boots that demonstrate the technical quality of football, dribbling and touching. I think people forget that Tiempo was Ronaldinho’s boot. And now the new “Tiempo” can also be a symbol of attackers with better technique. I’m proud to be part of this Nike Trinity.

Question: Where do you see yourself as a football player in five years? Do you think it will last that long?

A. I look no further. This has always been one of my strengths: focusing only on the present. Football is here and now and my only job is to try to get better every day. However, I hope that in five years I will be a better player than I am now.

This will mean that I will have to work very hard. And of course, if you’ve won multiple titles…even better. I came into football to try to be better in every game and to win everything I can with my team and my national team.