A Special Debut: Bayern Gem Osmani Makes History | OneFootball

Erblin Osmani set a record right off the bat in his debut for Kosovo. The 17-year-old Bayern talent is making national team history.

A special evening for Erblin Osmani: The FC Bayern midfield prospect made his debut for Kosovo’s senior national team—and set a record right off the bat.

In the 1-0 home victory over Ireland, Osmani came on as a substitute in the 87th minute. At 17 years, four months, and five days old, the Munich native thus became the youngest national team player in Kosovo’s history.

National team coach Franco Foda certainly surprised many by calling up the Bayern youngster for the ongoing Nations League matches. After all, Osmani had previously played for the German U16 and U17 national teams. Now, the central midfielder has initially chosen to represent his family’s homeland.

For Osmani, the appearance marked the fulfillment of a long-held dream. “Making my debut for Kosovo was a very special moment for me and my family. I was very happy and proud to be able to wear this jersey on the field for the first time,” the 17-year-old explained.

The Bayern youngster added: “It’s a moment I’ve been working toward for a long time, and one that will stay with me forever.”

Osmani is making his mark more and more at FC Bayern

Osmani has also taken important steps at the club level this year. In March, at just 16 years old, he made his Bundesliga debut for FC Bayern in a 4-0 win over Union Berlin. Although he hasn’t made another appearance with the first team yet, the homegrown player is still considered one of the most promising talents at the academy.

In July, Osmani signed his first professional contract, committing himself to the German record champions through 2029. Vincent Kompany is also said to think highly of the midfielder.

Photo: IMAGO

This season, Osmani is still shuttling between different teams. With the U19s, he has come off the bench in four of his seven appearances so far. Most recently, however, he made a strong impression: In the 3-1 derby victory against the youth team of TSV 1860 Munich, he started the match and scored a brace.

Shortly before the international break, he also took the next step in senior soccer. In the 2-0 victory by the Bayern amateurs—coached by Dante—against TSV Aubstadt, Osmani came on as a substitute for the final half-hour.

Now he has also made his first senior international appearance. His second appearance could come as early as Sunday against Austria. After that, matches against Israel and Austria again await in the Nations League. With his historic debut, Osmani has certainly already made his first big impression on the international stage.