"He wasn't given anything for free" – Bayern boss on Lennart Karl's first Germany U21 call-up

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·7 November 2025

"He wasn't given anything for free" – Bayern boss on Lennart Karl's first Germany U21 call-up

17-year-old Lennart Karl has been rewarded for his impressive performances for Bayern Munich this season with his first call-up to the German U21 national team.

At a press conference on Friday, Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund reflected on the young attacker getting his first opportunity with Antonio Di Salvo’s squad.

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“He wasn’t given anything for free, so we’re delighted he’s been called up,” said Freund.

“We’re happy that he’s involved and hope he gets some playing time –that’s the most important thing.

“He’s 17 years old, and the U21 is already a big step. We’re not comparing him to other players,” added Freund.

Having already scored two goals and provided one assist in 13 games for Bayern this season, Karl could get his next chance to impress when the German champions face Union Berlin on Saturday.