Nagelsmann on possible World Cup call-up for Karl: "Too soon yet" | OneFootball

Lennart Karl has already been touted by many as a candidate for the German World Cup squad. However, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is putting on the brakes.

Lennart Karl has been thrilling at FC Bayern for weeks with bold performances and spectacular goals. The youngster has already been named by many as a candidate for the German World Cup squad. Now, national coach Julian Nagelsmann has addressed the possibility of nominating the 17-year-old this summer at the DFB press conference.

"In general, I have always said that I am not a fan of hyping young players too much too early," said Nagelsmann about Bayern’s super talent. "For me, it’s about having transparent communication with the players."

The national coach made it clear that both Karl and Cologne’s super talent Said El Mala have interesting prospects—but still need time. "There are Said El Mala, Lennart Karl, and other interesting young players. Both have different profiles. We don’t have many classic wingers who feel comfortable with the ball at their feet and cut inside. Lennart is doing that well at Bayern in the playing time he gets."

El Mala from 1. FC Köln was nominated by Nagelsmann for the international matches against Luxembourg and Slovakia. Karl, on the other hand, was called up to the U21 for the first time.

Nagelsmann tempers the euphoria around Karl

A nomination of Karl to the senior national team does not seem to be on Nagelsmann’s agenda at the moment. "First, he has to go through the U21 and prove himself there. He can play an important role there. At the moment, he needs to get more playing time in the Bundesliga; it’s still too early," he said.

Photo: IMAGO

With this, the national coach is dampening the growing euphoria around the Munich shooting star, who has already attracted attention several times this season. Karl himself recently emphasized that he feels no pressure and just wants to keep going. The DFB also seems to want to accompany his journey with calm and foresight.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.