Bayern talent soon in the DFB team?
Nagelsmann opened the door to the World Cup for him
November 10, 2025 – 3:32 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
A talent is part of the senior national team for the first time. But others can also have hopes for the World Cup. Including a Bayern professional.
When planning the squad for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Julian Nagelsmann is not only looking at the established professionals – several young players can also have hopes. But the national coach urges caution.
Cologne’s Saïd El Mala, who was nominated for the A team for the November international matches for the first time, is not the only talent who has a chance of getting a place in the German World Cup squad. Lennart Karl from FC Bayern, Assan Ouédraogo from RB Leipzig and the ex-Hannover player Nicolò Tresoldi, who has been under contract in Bruges since the summer, are also “in the draw,” Nagelsmann said on Monday at the national team meeting in Wolfsburg. Each of them could “slide into” the squad for the finals in seven months.
At the same time, Nagelsmann warned against excessive euphoria. He sticks to his statement that “hyping” talent is “not healthy.” He is “not a fan of extremely early hype and pushing”. Players like 19-year-old El Mala in particular need to understand that just being nominated for the first time does not mean they are a “seasoned senior national player”.
At El Mala it is the case that he has “the chance” to “show himself in training”. The national coach explained that for him it was about seeing how the young stars “move” and whether they “are eligible for the tournament.” The fact that players like El Mala or Karl are invited with only a few Bundesliga minutes is “very, very early,” Nagelsmann openly admitted.
The two talents would benefit from the lack of quality players on the wings. “Both embody profiles that we don’t have too many of.” But Karl should first “prove himself in the U21”. Nagelsmanns expects the 17-year-old to play “a formative role”.