At the age of 17 years and eight months, Lennart meets Karl on his Champions League debut – and is named player of the game. The young offensive player not only takes on Musiala’s number 42, but also his role as FC Bayern’s hope.
Goalscorer to make it 1-0 and player of the game: Lennart Karl’s starting eleven debut in the Champions League against Club Brugge went like in a storybook. An important milestone for FC Bayern’s campus talent on the way to becoming a seasoned professional. The signs point to success for the 17-year-old, also because of his shirt number 42.
The new meaning of the number 42
Karl took over the 42 from Jamal Musiala. With the departure of Leroy Sané, he took over the “10” that fits his position. Through Musiala, the meaningless shirt number 42 became a promise for talented offensive players, which was now given to Karl, who was five years younger.
Dream goal thanks to Kompany’s courage
With his goal at the age of 17 years and eight months, Lennart Karl replaced Jamal Musiala as FC Bayern’s youngest goalscorer. “Being Player of the Match at the age of 17 means a lot to me,” said Karl, who was rewarded with a trophy for his courageous performance. “I put it where all my jerseys are. I have a wall there.”
His coach Vincent Kompany and sports director Christoph Freund had already had the feeling of a goal before the game: “We sat in the dressing room beforehand and said: Lenny will score his first goal today because he always finishes so well in training and then it happened with a finish like that. Everyone was really happy for him, with all their hearts.”
Kompany took a bit of a leap of faith when it came to the formation and put Karl on the number 10 instead of on the right wing. When he made it 1-0, Karl marched straight through midfield and shot with his left hand from the penalty area – a ten-goal straight out of a picture book. If there had been one or two more hooks, the hit would have looked even more like Musiala.
Perfect conditions for a top talent
The difficult situation on the transfer market in the summer was a factor why Karl got a real chance at FC Bayern. In test matches in the summer he showed his skill on the ball, clever running routes and a powerful shot with his left. Freund explained Karl’s success after the 4-0 win against Bruges: “He’s not nervous either, he has a lot of self-confidence, you can see that, and the boys really respect him.”
The offensive talent is currently being integrated into a functioning team in professional football at FC Bayern. Munich’s regular players are in top form and coach Kompany’s system has been polished in its second year. Optimal conditions to integrate a young star. “He’s fun like the whole team and it’s very, very nice that we have such a top talent back with us,” said Freund happily.
No thoughts about the national team
Karl doesn’t want to think about the senior national team yet: “I have to play for the U21 and U20 first, then we can think about it.” If he undercuts Jamal Musiala (debuted at 18 years and one month) by a few months again, the 2026 World Cup in North America won’t be that far away.
In the audio: Lennart Karl shines against Club Bruges
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Source: BR24Sport October 22, 2025 – 9:00 p.m
