Lennart Karl’s Germany call-up arrives as Jamal Musiala sits out — a reward, and a warning sign
Lennart Karl is set to earn a maiden call-up to the German national team after a breakout season for Bayern Munich, as Germany prepare for friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana in a squad that is also expected to exclude Jamal Musiala on precautionary grounds.
Why is Lennart Karl being moved up now?
Lennart Karl’s expected inclusion is framed as a direct reward for output and impact this season. The Bayern attacker has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 32 appearances across all competitions. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has been impressed by those performances, and the full squad for the upcoming fixtures is set to be revealed on Thursday.
The promotion would also cap a rapid progression in Karl’s status. Lennart Karl only signed a professional contract in the summer, and he recently became the youngest German goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history. That milestone came during a run of three successive games in which he scored against Club Brugge, Arsenal and Sporting CP.
At international level below the senior team, the trajectory has been similarly sharp. Karl made his Germany U21 debut in November, scoring three goals in two games, a return that underscores why his first senior call-up is now being discussed ahead of the Switzerland and Ghana friendlies.
What does Jamal Musiala’s absence change for Germany?
Jamal Musiala is set to miss Germany’s latest squad as a precautionary measure after an ankle injury. The 23-year-old missed Bayern’s 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and is also sidelined for Bayern’s UEFA Champions League clash against Atalanta. Musiala is also reported to be out for Bayern’s Matchday 27 game against Union Berlin.
With Musiala expected to be held back, Germany face a selection moment that runs in parallel to Lennart Karl’s rise: one Bayern attacker being protected, another being elevated. Musiala’s last appearance for Germany came in March 2025, meaning his return to the national team is set to wait longer.
The immediate competitive context is clear: Germany play Switzerland and Ghana, and the roster Nagelsmann names will define whether this window is treated as a cautious reset, an experimentation opportunity, or both. The Musiala decision is explicitly framed as precautionary, while Karl’s inclusion is framed as reward for form.
What is not being said — and what should be clarified on Thursday?
The expected call-up of Lennart Karl and the precautionary omission of Musiala leave several basic questions unanswered until the squad announcement. The first is scope: whether Karl is being added as a complementary option or as a more central feature of the plan for these matches. The second is timing: how Germany intend to manage Musiala’s return, given the combination of his recent ankle issue and the fact he has not played for the national team since March 2025.
Verified fact: Lennart Karl is reportedly set for a first senior Germany call-up from Julian Nagelsmann, after registering seven goals and five assists in 32 Bayern appearances this season, and becoming the youngest German goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history during a three-game scoring streak against Club Brugge, Arsenal and Sporting CP. Musiala is expected to miss out as a precaution due to an ankle injury after missing the Bayer Leverkusen match, and he is sidelined for Atalanta as well.
Informed analysis: The juxtaposition is hard to ignore: a debut for a breakout performer arrives in the same window a key attacker is withheld. That can be interpreted as Germany’s attempt to balance immediate caution with momentum-based selection. The extent of that balance will only be measurable once Nagelsmann’s full list is published on Thursday and the roles in the friendlies are clear.
For now, the picture is defined by what is already known: Lennart Karl is on the verge of stepping into the senior setup, while Musiala is expected to remain out until his ankle issue is managed, delaying his next chance to feature for Germany.
