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The 21-year-old was a Barcelona fan during his childhood when Messi was a dominant figure in European football. Musiala added he had also admired Neymar but his love for Messi was unparalleled.
Jamal Musiala. (AP Photo)
Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala has recognised Lionel Messi as his “favourite player”. The Barcelona legend has been a role model for many youngsters and Musiala is one of them.
The German prodigy has already created a unique identity with his performance for Bayern Munich and the national team. Musiala opened up about his admiration for Messi during a recent interaction with SportBible.
The 21-year-old was a Barcelona fan during his childhood when Messi was a dominant figure in European football. According to Musiala, he had also admired Neymar Jr but his love for Messi was unparalleled.
“FC Barcelona was my favourite team and because of that, they were always my reference. The midfield with Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets fascinated me. I could watch their games over and over again. On the back of my shirts as a kid, the name was almost always Messi. I also had one with Neymar, but Messi was my hero, my favourite player,” Musiala told SportBible.
As part of Bayern Munich, Musiala has played against Barcelona five times in the Champions League during his career. He emerged victorious against his favourite team on four occasions. The only defeat came earlier this season when Barcelona defeated Bayern Munich 4-1 at home.
Meanwhile, Messi faced Musiala twice during his time at Paris Saint Germain. Bayern Munich won both legs of the Round of 16 fixtures as PSG crashed out of the 2022-23 Champions League.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick is reportedly keen to take Jamal Musiala on board. The Spanish club wants to bolster their squad in the January transfer window. They had kept their eyes on Manchester City star Erling Haaland and AC Milan forward Rafael Leao.
Flick has reportedly given up on the duo and asked the club authorities to evaluate the possibility of signing Musiala, as reported by Spanish outlet El Nacional. Barcelona perhaps wanted to bring Haaland as a permanent replacement for Robert Lewandowski while Leao could support Raphinha on the left wing.
Musiala made his Bayern Munich debut in 2020 when Flick was their manager. Under his guidance, Musiala featured in 38 games across all competitions and struck seven goals while providing one assist. The duo also worked together for the German national team between 2021 and 2023. Musiala’s current contract with Bayern will expire in 2026.
