Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala has this week provided an insight into his childhood affinity for La Liga giants Barcelona.
Midfielder Musiala, for his part, has of course secured for himself a name as one of the game’s standout young talents over the last couple of years.
Owing to a combination of remarkable dribbling abilities, an eye for goal and supreme athleticism, the German international – still just 21 – has long been considered one of the first names on the team sheet at the Allianz Arena.
As alluded to above, though, Musiala, it has today been revealed, did not grow up a Bayern Munich supporter.
Instead, the one-time Chelsea talent spent his formative years fawning over the talents of the likes of Xavi and Lionel Messi, at Barcelona.
Speaking in an interview with Sport Bild, as cited by Goal, Musiala explained:
“FC Barcelona was my favourite team and because of that they were always my reference. The midfield with Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets fascinated me. I could watch their games over and over again. On the back of my shirts as a kid, the name was almost always Messi. I also had one with Neymar, but Messi was my hero, my favourite player.”
Conor Laird – GSFN