“Even Messi made mistakes at 17”: Matthäus responds to criticism of Lennart Karl | OneFootball

Bayern legend backs 17-year-old after viral moment

“Even Messi made mistakes at 17”: Matthäus responds to criticism of Lennart Karl

Lothar Matthäus backed Bayern youngster Lennart Karl after failed dribble went viral during the win over Hoffenheim.

Viral moment during Bayern victory

A brief moment involving Lennart Karl drew wide attention during Bayern Munich’s 5-1 win over Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

In second half, the 17 year-old winger tried double dribble on the flank but the move ended awkwardly when he accidentally pushed the ball out of play with his heel.

The clip spread quickly on social media and triggered many sarcastic comments.

The incident came at time when Karl has also seen dip in numbers, with only 1 assist in his last six match for Bayern’s first team.

Karl: “I will keep working”

Despite the online reaction, Karl showed calm and maturity when asked about the moment.

Speaking to Sport1, he made it clear that the criticism does not worry him.

The teenager said he simply needs to keep giving his best in training and matches. He stressed that no player can be perfect all the time and added that, at 17, learning and improving are part of the journey.

Karl’s response underlined his focus on long-term progress rather than short-term reactions to viral clips.

Matthäus steps In to defend the teenager

German football legend Lothar Matthäus also came to Karl’s defense. He described the criticism as exaggerated and said moments like this are normal part of modern football.

Matthäus explained that creativity and dribbling are essential to the game and that fans enjoy watching players who try something different even if it does not always work.

He added that some moves may look unnecessary but football needs players who are brave enough to express themselves on the pitch.

“Messi was not perfect at 17”

Matthäus went even further by comparing Karl’s situation to Lionel Messi. He reminded fans that even Messi made mistakes at the same age and did not succeed with every action early in his career.

The former Bayern captain urged supporters to allow young players to enjoy the game and entertain even if opponents sometimes feel frustrated by their style.