The picture captures everything about youth football and its wonderful possibilities: two young boys, brothers in arms, staring down the lens and looking into the future.
On one side is Jude Bellingham, with a 10 on his chest. On the other is Jamal Musiala, resplendent in 11. Both are sporting the kit England wore at Euro 2016, both have dreams that one day they will play on the biggest stage — 13 times they played alongside each other in these numbers.
Studying the image now, it is impossible to stop yourself from thinking ‘what if’?
Musiala, with his pace and his sorcery and a right foot that cracks a ball like a cannon, had the kind of opening night at Euro 2024 where a reputation is moved to a different realm.
Wherever you watched, you couldn’t help but marvel at this outstanding young man, who helped orchestrate Germany’s 5-1 thrashing of Scotland. But look at the picture again: don’t you wish that you were anticipating what he and Bellingham might do together tonight against Serbia?
But Musiala, much to the Football Association’s regret, was the one that got away. He’s now an emblem for Bayern Munich and has the capacity to become the poster boy of this tournament.
So why did it happen? How, when the FA devote so much time to nurturing and developing young players, could this shimmering nugget of pure gold slip from their grasp? Nobody at St George’s Park feels anything other than bitter disappointment that their loss became Germany’s gain.
Born in Stuttgart to his German mother, Carolin, and Nigerian-British father, Daniel, Musiala moved to England aged seven. He was a Chelsea schoolboy and attended Whitgift School in Croydon, whose alumni include Callum Hudson-Odoi and Victor Moses.
England had been charting his progress at Cobham and, such was the esteem in which he was held by coaches, he was eventually selected for national duty when he was an under-14 player; he wasn’t as physically developed as others at that age but the potential was immense. Everyone saw it.
So the FA kept picking him. He played at every level and the fact he was struggling with some growth issues made his impact in games even more notable; there was a goal on his Under-15s debut against Turkey, a hat-trick against the Netherlands.
All those who worked with him at St George’s Park raved about his technical qualities — he is intelligent, quiet but confident. Coaches remember the Under-16s travelling to play in the 2019 Montaigu Tournament in France and Musiala taking Brazil and Argentina apart. Providing support and encouragement from midfield, always, was Bellingham.
It’s never the FA’s way to talk big and boldly when a teenager is making eye-catching progress, as they would never burden them with unnecessary pressure but, privately, they knew with Bellingham and Musiala they had enormous potential.
There was never a time they didn’t think he would become an England player. The landscape changed, though, when he moved to Bayern Munich, aged 16, in 2019 — how smart does that £170,000 investment look now?
Within 12 months, Musiala had made his debut, becoming the youngest player to represent Bayern in the Bundesliga, and was around the squad that won the Champions League in 2020.
Still England stayed on his trail and it was seen as encouraging that he accepted a call-up from Aidy Boothroyd for two Under-21 European Championship qualifiers that November, making his debut against Andorra then scoring on his first start, against Albania.
At the same time as England were working on Musiala, though, Joachim Low had set the wheels in motion for Germany to make their pitch. Low became a regular visitor to the Allianz Arena, a charm offensive consisting of taking him and his parents for dinner and showing him a pathway.
Germany couldn’t afford to see the brightest young attacker in the country represent somewhere else and Low outlined precisely where he would play.
‘We would have liked him to stay, for sure,’ Gareth Southgate said after Musiala’s decision had been made.
Fate will decide whether Bellingham and Musiala will cross paths again in this tournament but one thing for certain is that the 21-year-old’s progress must be watched closely, for what he did against Scotland was exceptional.
‘The night of my life? You could say that,’ Musiala, beamed. ‘I had the best feeling ever. We wanted to start well, we did that and scored so many goals. We can go into the next game now with lots of confidence. There is so much quality in this team.
‘Yes, there is pressure on our shoulders but the pressure goes when you are out there having fun. You never feel pressure in those moments. We will look back on this game and see how we can do better. I never think about the past. I always look forward.’
But, as he does that, England will inevitably look back and wonder. Musiala joining this band of thrilling attacking young talent? It really would have been a reason to dream.
nutcdeiktu
509
Musiala made the right decision going for Germany instead of England because England is loaded with a huge amount of young players olready (Bellingham, Foden, Palmer, Mainoo, Eze, Gordon, Saka, Rice, Gallagher, while Germany has more aged players that are about to hang boots ( Muller, Gudogan and others, Musiala has no competition in Germany squat, but in England, his competition is so much...💪✊
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we have many good young players but the old ones like Müller and Gündogan don't play because they are great. Müller is an original Bayer (mountain German) Gündogan plays for the big Turkey Community in Germany. they are not Star players, just Identifikation players. that is the reason why they play for Germany. twenty other germans can play instead of these two
Zibcdnptyz
515
Are we getting this same story every international break? It's getting annoying. You wrote this up like 50 times already.
yukcdikr
500
Who trained educated and nurtured the player? Who helped fed and housed his family? It seems in the world today it’s ok to take but never to give back, good luck to any young man or player 🙏🏻but remember this whole take take world only ends 1 way
Nitso008
504
England has proven to be one of the most racist country in the world especially when failure is on their side
Yeh Germany treated wonderful to one of their best player ever .
miguelbumba
472
Ppl need to understand that as long our ppl in Africa choose the path and corruption and greed, the most talented brains will always choose or at least consider greener pastures. Can't blame these kids choice nor their families' stance on this issue!
suzbdklst
463
they did well by not valuing him because now they'd have to choose between him and Bellingham qnd they both play same position...
hilton85
450
Better he didn’t choose England 🏴.
Rhema10
360
if not for better structure in the Nigerian football, how on earth will he choose his father land over his mother land enh
Femabimop
349
What if Mr Daniel Musiala was into drugs in the UK he would have just been referred to as a Nigerian instead of "Nigerian-British"
but why should someone be into drugs?? Are you suggesting that people should associate themselves with criminals?
Coyeikmory
331
these European teams were much better without black blood.only France has done better with black blood.
Cebaikuyz
322
Southgate must have bored the hell out of him...to become a german!
Khruise
307
What if Mr Daniel Musiala was into drugs in the UK he would have just been referred to as a Nigerian instead of "Nigerian-British"
knowing this about Musiala, it is better to side with the mother's country than England. As a Nigerian related, loot at Saka and what was portrayed of him when England lose to Iceland.
muheimsz
243
Musiala made the right decision going for Germany instead of England because England is loaded with a huge amount of young players olready (Bellingham, Foden, Palmer, Mainoo, Eze, Gordon, Saka, Rice, Gallagher, while Germany has more aged players that are about to hang boots ( Muller, Gudogan and others, Musiala has no competition in Germany squat, but in England, his competition is so much...💪✊
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he just made the right choice choosing Germany over England because when you look at Germany key players, four of them are about to hang boots: Kroos, Muller, Gundogan and Emre Can, they are aging and this gives Musiala a permanent post in the first line up at all times, but with England, he would be used as a rotation player because of so much competition from the likes of Bellingham, Foden, Palmer, Saka, Eze, Mainoo, Gordon, Rice & others.
Rukaeruyz
203
Nigeria and Ghana doing favours to football in Europe
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remember that they are the one grooming those boys
sozlmoru
190
Those white people will not leave Africa alone, taking our resources and our beautiful children with talent from us.
SportsBee
192
What if Mr Daniel Musiala was into drugs in the UK he would have just been referred to as a Nigerian instead of "Nigerian-British"
WorthingtonMusonda
142
Musiala is better than those bums at england
nutcdeiktu
108
Musiala made the right decision going for Germany instead of England because England is loaded with a huge amount of young players olready (Bellingham, Foden, Palmer, Mainoo, Eze, Gordon, Saka, Rice, Gallagher, while Germany has more aged players that are about to hang boots ( Muller, Gudogan and others, Musiala has no competition in Germany squat, but in England, his competition is so much...💪✊
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you really thing that english prayers a better than germans? Bellingham? i don't believe so, Harry Kane? good goal scorer but easy to calculate, .. the only player i want from England is Declan Rice. look at Toni Kroos Florian Wirtz...
Iffy106
77
Now England 🇬🇧 and Germany 🇩🇪 🇩🇪 are all over Nigeria 🇳🇬 blood
chuckky
48
England is a funny country. that boy is a Nigerian blood, and judging by the way you use Saka's picture as a face of failure whenever England lose. I will say he made the right decision plus England don't know how to win trophies
Philchetz
25
Nigeria and Ghana doing favours to football in Europe
titcdinstu
12
Germany did to England what England has been doing to Nigeria. Only one and it hurts, what about the many they took from Nigeria? What goes around comes around.
martin_bhengu
10
England be like "Musiala the one that got away"