Bayern Munich mega talent Lennart Karl speaks on coping with fame as he celebrates his 18th birthday | OneFootball

In his first interview since his contract was automatically renewed upon his 18th birthday, Bayern Munich phenom Lennart Karl has spoken on his fairly tale rise to fame at an unbelievably young age with Germany’s preeminent footballing publication.

The teenage talent spoke on a variety of topics in his interview scheduled to be published in the Monday print edition of Kicker. Those covering his sudden stratospheric rise received a reminder of just how young Karl is.

Karl nevertheless demonstrated plenty of maturity in answering questions about his life in what proved to be a rather fascinating discussion. The youngster clearly has his priorities in order. 

Lennart Karl pleased to have obtained his driver’s license

“It’s something special to get one’s driver’s license,” Karl told Kicker. “It makes one a bit freer. Though my parents still tell me what to do and what not to do, I’m a little more independent. I’ve been looking forward to driving on my own for a very long time and getting my license was very important to me. My parents used to drive me to training and that’s a 45-minute one-way trip.

“I’m really looking forward to driving,” Karl continued. “That comes after football and family, of course. I’ll be moving off the [FC Bayern Munich] campus and into the city soon. I can’t walk around the city unrecognized any more. I’ll just keep up my ease on the pitch and in my private life. I’ll keep giving my all for FC Bayern.“

Karl on the pressures of fame and an abnormal normal teenage life

“The trick is to tune out all the noise,” Karl said in response to questions about his incredible celebrity. “I have to admit that it’s difficult at times. There’s a lot of pressure from outside, from the media and social networks. You just have to block it out, but that’s not always possible. Of course, you hear what’s being said about you. 

“I’m on Instagram, but I haven’t posted much lately,” Karl continued. “I have to focus on believing in myself. You also need a stable circle of friends and shouldn’t let yourself be persuaded to do weird things like smoking. I hardly went out to parties because you just can’t do can’t do that in this job. I’d like to go out to parties with my friends, but it’s rare.“

“I’m someone who speaks his mind,” Karl also noted. “But I have to be aware that the public is watching how I express myself. Fame might be something of a strong word, but there’s a price to my life. In all honesty, I can’t complain about a life that has gone almost perfectly thus far.” 

Karl’s advice to other aspiring youth talents

“My friends are perfect and always support me in every way,” Karl noted when reflecting on how he’s managing everything. “My friends from the FC Bayern Campus always support me and come to the stadium when they have time. They are happy for me and hope to make the leap themselves someday.

“I can’t be 100 percent perfect in every game, which is normal for my age,” Karl continued. “Mistakes are part of the game. I had bad U16 seasons, but I kept working and gave my all win training. It was only during this year’s pre-season friendlies that I thought, ‘Hey, I can do this’.

“My advice to kids is to keep believing in yourself,” Karl concluded. “Keep giving your all in every training session. Keep working hard and it will work out. It’s not one’s age that counts on the pitch, but your performance. You also can’t do it without a little luck. With luck and ambition, you can fight through.

GGFN | Peter Weis