1. FC Cologne
El Mala shows the right DFB reaction: “He’s a golden boy”
November 20, 2025 – 5:54 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
After missing his DFB debut, Said El Mala receives warm words from coach Lukas Kwasniok. He is causing a luxury problem at 1. FC Köln.
Even during his absence from the Geißbockheim, Said El Mala made the headlines 1. FC Cologne certainly. Not every observer and certainly not every fan could understand that the rising star of the promoted team was leading the senior national team before the final World Cup qualifier against the Slovakia and had to leave again without a debut under his belt.
For Lukas Kwasniok, however, the supposed demotion to the U21 team came DFB anything but surprising. “We have to point out that this was clearly communicated,” said the FC coach before the Cologne home game against Eintracht Frankfurt.
National coach Julian Nagelsmann had signaled from the outset “that Said would be invited to the senior national team because Adeyemi was suspended for the first game, and then most likely he would leave for the second game for the U21s to perform there,” reports Kwasniok.
That’s exactly how it happened. El Mala played for the German U21s in the 2-0 win in Georgia on Tuesday evening – and performed, including an assist. “That simply speaks for Said. He enjoyed it with the senior national team, but then he flies to Georgia and plays a good game,” praises Kwasniok and states: “He is simply a golden boy, also in terms of character.”
A golden boy who received a clear assignment during his flying visit to the A-Team. National coach Nagelsmann explained after El Mala’s departure: “Of course he has to become a regular player in Cologne, I told him that too. The Cologne squad is good, but he has to have the ambition to eliminate his problems.”
For the 19-year-old, it’s all about constantly exploiting his potential – in both directions of the pitch. Kwasniok recently used Jakub Kaminski as a role model, who, like El Mala, has already scored four Bundesliga goals for the Billy Goats, but also shines with his immense hard work.
Kaminski is also one of the main reasons why El Mala is not yet an undisputed regular player at FC despite his class. The Pole and the youngster are not only Cologne’s most successful goalscorers together, they also have the same favorite position – left winger.
In the derby defeat in Gladbach, Kaminski had to switch to the right rail in favor of El Mala. “He plays well in every position,” says Kwasniok, emphasizing the polyvalence of the Wolfsburg loan, but also admits: “I would like to let him play in his best position permanently.”
But that’s not always possible. Kaminski and El Mala – a duo that has shaped Cologne’s season so far and definitely gives their coach a luxury problem. Week after week, Kwasniok ponders how he can best reconcile the two. “Sometimes I curse myself, sometimes you think too much about it,” he smiles and will probably be racking his brains until Saturday about how the luxury problem will be solved Frankfurt can be solved.