German youngster Jamal Musiala, who has previously expressed his affection for his father’s homeland, Nigeria, was the standout player in yesterday’s EURO 2024 opening clash, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 17th edition of the tournament kicked off with a match between Germany and Scotland, ending in a 5-1 victory for the hosts.
Musiala was omnipresent on the pitch, delivering an outstanding performance, including a superb strike from Kai Havertz's pass to score the second goal, placing it perfectly in the top corner of the Scottish net. With such a steller performance he might be on of the favourites for the Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament honour.
A magical performance from Musiala 🪄🇩🇪@Vivo_GLOBAL | #EUROPOTM pic.twitter.com/spbLGVwHJ3
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 14, 2024
For his impressive display in his 74 minutes on the field at the Allianz Arena, Musiala was named Man of the Match.
How is Jamal Musiala Linked With Nigeria?
Born in Stuttgart to a Nigerian father, Musiala has represented both England and Germany at youth levels but has always embraced his Nigerian heritage.
Appearing on Chef Serge Ibaka's popular show ‘How Hungry Are You,' he revealed that he has never visited Nigeria, his father's homeland.
However, he shared that he grew up with a deep knowledge of Nigerian and African cultures.
“I’ve never been to Africa before even though I always wanted to, but we’ve never really had the time to go over there,” said the 21-year-old.
“My dad is from Nigeria, and he always tells me about the culture and everything about African foods. My dad made fufu while I was growing up back in England; he made this dish every other day.”
Musiala Feels Nigerian Too
The versatile 21-year-old attacker, hailed as one of this generation's biggest superstars, was eligible to play for Nigeria, Germany, Poland, and England. However, he ultimately chose to represent Germany's Die Mannschaft.
On the ‘How Hungry Are You' show, he didn't shy away from expressing his love for his father's country, revealing his affection for both Nigeria and Germany.
“Out of respect, I can’t answer that. I have respect for both. I love Nigeria and Germany,” Musiala said when asked to choose between the two.
Musiala on Representing Nigeria
Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala has shared that he chose to play for the German national team over Nigeria because he feels more comfortable in Germany.
This decision followed intense competition from England, Germany, and Nigeria for his allegiance. Even former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr admitted to trying to recruit Musiala to wear the Super Eagles colour.
Ultimately, Musiala chose Die Mannschaft and has since become a key player for the German squad. He participated in the last EURO and played a significant role in the previous World Cup.
Explaining his choice to represent Germany, Musiala stated that his comfort level with the country played a crucial part in his decision.
“I could have played for Nigeria because it crossed my mind, and I thought about it well. I had good talks with Nigeria and Germany, so it really just came down to me and where I’d feel the most comfortable. So I decided to go with Germany,” he said.
Jamal Musiala: “I could have played for Nigeria because it crossed my mind…”
What could have been… 👀🇳🇬@jamalmusiala10 #AfroBallers pic.twitter.com/NcBAp8Zd8G
— AfroBallers (@afroballers) February 14, 2023
The Nigerian descent added a goal to his international tally with an impressive strike against Scotland yesterday, making it his third goal for Germany in his 30 appearances.
