Joachim Low faced the challenge of rebuilding the national team after their disappointing group-stage exit at the 2018 tournament. During this period of renewal, a young Jamal Musiala emerged as a bright prospect. With Musiala weighing his options between representing England or Germany, Low admitted to making an unprecedented promise to secure the midfielder’s commitment to the German squad for UEFA Euro 2020.

Musiala had transitioned from Chelsea‘s academy to Bayern Munich at the age of 16 for a modest £170,000. His rapid development caught Low’s attention. Speaking with German outlet Kicker, the former coach revealed how he and then-German football director Oliver Bierhoff approached Musiala and his family to persuade him:

“Oliver Bierhoff and I went to Munich in the spring of 2021 and talked to him, including his mother of course. He grew up in England, had his friends there and spent his entire youth development there. He was already thinking about whether he wanted to play for England or Germany.

“It was the only time in my time as national team coach that I made a promise to a player: Even though he wasn’t a regular at Bayern, I told him that if he chose us, he would definitely be playing at Euro 2021 in the summer,” , the manager who guided Germany to the 2014 World Cup triumph stated.

Musiala accepted the offer and made his senior debut for Germany in March 2021, just a few months before the Euro’s. True to Low’s word, the Bayern starlet featured in the tournament, coming off the bench in two of Germany’s four matches. Ironically, his campaign ended in the Round of 16 with a 2-0 defeat to England, the country he had chosen not to represent.

Musiala’s tug-of-war between Germany and England

Born in Fulda, Germany, to a Nigerian-British father and a German mother, Musiala moved to England at the age of seven. There, he attended Whitgift School in Croydon and joined Chelsea’s academy, where he honed his skills before signing for Bayern Munich. Eligible to represent both England and Germany, he faced a difficult choice regarding his international future.

Musiala represented England at various youth levels, playing 23 games for the U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-21 teams. He also made two appearances for Germany’s U-16 squad. Despite spending most of his life in England, Low’s promise—and the opportunity to play in a major tournament—proved decisive.

Musiala cements his place in Germany’s national team

While Joachim Low stepped down as Germany’s coach after Euro 2020, Musiala quickly established himself as a mainstay in the national team. At just 21 years old, the Bayern Munich playmaker has already amassed 37 caps, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists. His performances in major tournaments, including the 2022 World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024, have solidified his role as a regular starter.