Surprising DFB starting lineup: Is Musiala headed for the bench at the World Cup? | OneFootball

Jamal Musiala is considered one of the German national team’s biggest hopes for the 2026 World Cup. This makes an assessment by Thomas Müller and Jürgen Klopp all the more surprising. The two soccer stars would not initially put the Bayern star in the starting lineup for the World Cup opener against Curaçao.

While national team coach Julian Nagelsmann has not yet publicly announced his final decision, Thomas Müller and Jürgen Klopp already took a look ahead during the World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa.

During the broadcast on MagentaTV, both put together their personal dream lineup for Germany’s first group stage match against Curaçao—and in doing so, provided a bit of a surprise.

That’s because Jamal Musiala didn’t initially appear in their lineup.

Musiala is expected to come on as a substitute

Instead, Müller and Klopp opted for an attacking line featuring Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sané, and Deniz Undav behind center forward Kai Havertz.

According to the duo’s plans, Musiala would start on the bench and only be brought on as a substitute later in the match.

The main reason for this is the Bayern star’s physical condition.

Following his serious injury last season, Musiala has rarely played a full 90 minutes so far. Although the 23-year-old is on his way back to top form, Klopp and Müller apparently don’t yet see the right time for him to start.

The idea behind this is that Musiala could best showcase his strengths when the opponent’s energy wanes and spaces open up.

Doubts about his current form

Photo: IMAGO

The discussion comes as no surprise.

In recent weeks, there has been repeated talk about whether Musiala is already back to 100 percent. Although the attacking player showed promise in the friendlies against Finland and the U.S., he has not yet been able to consistently fulfill the dominant role that defines him at FC Bayern.

Lothar Matthäus also recently expressed doubts about whether Musiala can reach his absolute peak form again at this World Cup.

Others, such as Matthias Sammer and DFB sporting director Rudi Völler, are significantly more optimistic, however, and firmly expect the Bayern star to take that decisive step as the tournament progresses.

Another reason for Musiala’s spot on the bench is Deniz Undav’s strong form.

The VfB Stuttgart forward has impressed in recent friendlies and apparently enjoys high regard from Thomas Müller as well. “If everyone is fit, I see Undav as an excellent option. He just has a nose for it. I’m really into this Undav idea,” Müller explained on MagentaTV.

Klopp also seemed convinced and sees Undav as versatile enough to play an important role behind Havertz.

Nagelsmann is likely to have different plans

Whether Musiala will actually start on the bench, however, remains questionable.

According to reports from DFB training, there are currently strong indications that Nagelsmann wants to start the Bayern star from the beginning. Musiala has recently been a regular in the supposed starting lineup during internal training matches and is likely to have a good chance of making the starting lineup against Curaçao.

Nevertheless, the assessments by Klopp and Müller show that the discussion about Musiala’s optimal role in this World Cup is far from over.

One thing is certain: the attacking player will play a key role for the German national team as the tournament progresses. The only question is whether he’ll start from the opening whistle or initially come off the bench as a substitute.