Joachim Löw on speaking to Jamal Musiala about his international future in 2021: “For the only time in my time as national coach, I made a promise to a player”

Speaking to SWR Sport (via kicker) former Germany head coach Joachim Löw has revealed what he said to Jamal Musiala back in 2021 before he made a decision on his international future. 

The 21-year-old was eligible to play for both Germany, where he was born, and England where he spent a large part of his formative years. Musiala played twice for England’s under-21s but would make his debut for Germany against Iceland in 2021 during a World Cup qualifier before then being a part of the delayed EURO 2020 squad several months later.

On what Low said to Musiala to help him make his decision, the Black Forest native said: 

“Oliver Bierhoff and I went to Munich in spring 2021 and talked to him, and of course also to his mother. He grew up in England, had friends there and completed all his training there. He had already thought about whether he wanted to play for England or Germany. For the only time in my time as national coach, I made a promise to a player: Although he wasn’t actually a regular player for Bayern, I told him that he would definitely be there for the 2021 European Championship in the summer if he decided to play for us.”

During Germany’s largely underwhelming EURO 2020 campaign, Musiala was his role in the build-up to Leon Goretzka’s late equaliser against Hungary which just secured their passage into the round of 16. 

Since his debut, Musiala has grown in stature when it comes to his club side as well as the national team and is now one of, if not their most important player. The 21-year-old was key in their quarter-final run in EURO 2024, while Musiala was probably the only German player to come out of the World Cup in Qatar with an improvement in his reputation. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan