Jamal Musiala has been widely lauded after his eye-catching display on Sunday night, with fans comparing the German teenager to Lionel Messi and backing him to win the Ballon d’Or.
Germany kept their World Cup hopes alive with a nervy 1-1 draw against Spain, meaning a win against Costa Rica in their final game will likely be enough to put them through to the knockout rounds after a shock loss to Japan in their first game.
Musiala was particularly impressive in the game, as the 19-year-old Bayern Munich star completed nine successful dribbles, the highest figure of the tournament so far, and played a big part in Germany’s late equaliser.
Fans have been effusive in their praise of the young midfielder, with one labelling him a ‘generational talent’ who would ‘probably be on the same level of Lionel Messi.’
There were a lot of comparisons with the Argentine legend, with some noting Musiala’s dribbling as the best they had seen from a 19-year-old since Messi.
Others felt Kylian Mbappe was a more appropriate comparison, suggesting the French striker now has ‘a strong competitor’ for the Ballon d’Or in years to come.
There were countless references to Musiala picking up football’s most prestigious individual honour, as he was labelled ‘simply a baller’.
Mauricio Pochettino also spoke highly of the Bayern starlet, as the former Spurs boss said: ‘For me he is one of the best young players in the world with Gavi and Pedri. He’s a massive talent.’
Germany are next in action in their final group game against Costa Rica on Thursday.
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