On matchday six in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League, the Bayern Munich fanbase arose to applaud a player who had just become the youngest in the history of the competition to score in three consecutive matches.
At just 17 years of age, Lennart Karl has already won over the Bayern faithful and a call-up to the German national squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ now seems a distinct possibility.
While his historic goal against Sporting was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, it was far from Karl’s only contribution on the night. Just before the break, he was instrumental in the move that saw Harry Kane strike the post, dropping deep to win possession before launching the attack himself.
“He just wants to play football,” said Director of Sport Max Eberl in a recent interview with Sport Bild. “He is confident and self-assured, but it’s a healthy confidence and doesn’t spill over into arrogance. He’s taken that attitude into training and earned the respect of the other players in the process. You can see it on the pitch: His teammates want to involve him. He has a good understanding with Michael [Olise] and Joshua [Kimmich]. He has outstanding technique.”
Thanks to his excellent left foot, his flair and his comparatively diminutive stature, there have even been comparisons with Lionel Messi. Karl, however, remains unfazed and responded in his usual relaxed manner when asked about it during a recent Sky interview: “Of course, I’m happy to be compared to Messi, and lots of people are saying that. Personally, I don’t think you can compare me to Messi. Messi is right at the top, and I have a long way to go. Messi is my role model.”
Coach Vincent Kompany has already placed great trust in Karl and given him freedom to express himself on the pitch. He moves fluidly in the half-spaces and already seems at home in this star-studded Bayern side.
Karl’s long-range shooting is particularly impressive. He scored goals from distance on a regular basis for the Bayern youth team and, once again this season, he has continued to find the net from outside the box, in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
Opponents are now well aware that Karl is deadly from range – and he knows how to use this to his advantage. Around the penalty area, he often feigns to shoot and pulls defenders out of position, before knocking the ball past them and attacking the space with his explosive pace.
His quick change of direction also regularly causes problems for opponents and he demonstrates outstanding close control when dribbling. Even if defenders manage to get a foot in, Karl has a knack for riding challenges and keeping control of the ball. Like many creative players, he loves to have the ball at his feet but is always aware of where his team-mates are, and his link-up play with Olise has been particularly effective in recent games.
Karl’s mentality is also impressive. He seems unfazed by the hype around him, focusing instead on working on areas of his game where he sees potential for improvement. He even produced an impressive strike against Sporting with his supposedly weaker right foot: “I have worked hard to improve on that”, explained Karl after the match. “That work paid off.”
Although Karl is still eligible to play for the German U-17 national team, a call-up to the senior national squad does not seem out of the question.
“If you are performing for Bayern Munich, that’s a statement in itself, regardless of how old you are”, said Joshua Kimmich recently, speaking about his team-mate. “At the moment, he has worked his way into the starting XI. And anyone who is a regular at Bayern Munich – especially with the way we are playing right now – wouldn’t be out of place in the national team.”
For Bayern, Karl usually plays as a central attacking midfielder, an area in which the German team is already blessed with top talents like Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. What his partnership with Musiala could look like may become clear in the coming weeks, when the 22-year-old returns to the Bayern team after a long-term injury. It remains to be seen how often all three players will ultimately feature for Germany. Fitting them all in one system could be a challenge but even if Karl is only deployed as an impact substitute – as he was at Bayern at the start of the season – he could still be an extremely useful option for Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann.
After his display against Sporting, Karl was playfully asked if he was expecting a call from the national team boss . “I don’t think so, not yet”, came his response to the question on DAZN.
If Karl can maintain his current form, he may prove impossible to ignore.
