At the age of 20, Jamal Musiala is in his third season playing at the highest level. In an interview with L’Equipe, he shares what helps him perform impressively on the field while still keeping his feet on the ground.

On the outside, Jamal Musiala is a slim, thin guy with a slightly stooped back. On the field, he easily moved and appeared among the people around him, the fans and the waiting media. Coach Hansi Flick shared: “I got to know him after the 2019/2020 season ended. He completed one practice session and then another. At the end of the second practice session, I told him he wouldn’t have to leave again. It was fun coaching him.”

After scoring a victory against Cologne in the final round, thereby helping Bayern Munich win the 33rd Bundesliga title in history, Musiala had an interview with L’Equipe newspaper. 

– To start the conversation, we want you to watch a video about Stephen Curry, leader of the Golden State Warriors basketball team…

But you have to turn up the volume, the commentary really makes a difference. I really like these images, I also love the situations in them. (Image of Curry’s scoring shot bringing victory to the Warriors against Oklahoma City on February 28, 2016 – Editor).

– You seem to really like Curry…

Yes, I am a huge fan of his. The joy he spreads while playing basketball is the same joy I try to have while playing soccer. He always plays with a smile on his face and often makes situations that no one expected. I think that’s why he’s one of my idols.

– How do you arrange your time to watch his matches?

I can watch the matches, but they usually take place quite late, at 3am, 4am. So the problem is I have to get up early. But I usually start the day with phone meetings and then do physical therapy before starting the training session. Usually only the finals I watch.

– We started with Warriors videos because they had a big influence on your team selection decision…

(Musiala smiled, nodded) I remember that video, and Klay Thompson’s signed jersey made me unforgettable. I watch them compete and often discuss them with friends. And then one day I received such a gift (given by Oliver Bierhoff – then General Director of the German Football Federation – when Musiala was wondering whether to serve the England or Germany team). That really touched me.

– Let’s go back to football. We want you to watch one more video. In these frames, he is about 6 years old but has a better way of dribbling and blocking the ball than others…

That was when I played football for Chelsea and they evoked a feeling in me: Joy. It’s simply how I express myself. We scored a lot of goals and everyone played well. I feel like fun is what I try to convey at the highest level. Regardless of the importance on the field or the level of pressure, I always try to play like I did when I was a 10-year-old boy.

– Is it easy to maintain such a carefree attitude?

I won’t say it’s easy because there are times when you get a lot of pressure. People like to criticize your performance when it’s not good and sometimes even when there are good performances. But I try not to bring that into the field. That doesn’t mean I don’t care what people say about me. I will always listen to anything useful.

– Where do dribbles like that come from?

I don’t know (laughs). I think I always like those shots. Maybe it comes from my father and coaches. On the street, in the garden, at work, at the training ground… As far as I can remember, I’ve always had to dribble the ball through cones.

– What is your favorite way to play the ball?

(Musiala thinks for a moment) Everything depends on the situation in the game, but maybe I will choose to push the ball twice between my right foot and left foot. And it would be even better if the ball passed between the legs of the opposing defender. I think that’s the shot I do the most.

– Do people ever try to stop you from dribbling the ball?

I do things and grow naturally. When I joined Chelsea (in 2011 at the age of eight), I was the new kid. So initially I wanted to show people what I could do. But I quickly realized that the level has changed, everything has become more “professional” and each player has to find important things. So I understand I have to choose my moments, know when to pass the ball quickly and when to hold. The coaches help me learn how to identify the different stages better and better.

– Because he comes from “South London”, he has no other choice: He must know how to dribble, grasp technical movements…

It’s clear. In South London everyone loves dribbling. There is a 5v5 tournament and this helps spread a special mentality to everyone.

– What did you bring with you from the city where you grew up in the period 2011-2019?

London is my childhood home. Every time I have time, I try to go back. My dad still lives there and most of my childhood friends still do. I still feel comfortable there.

– What about Nigeria, the third country associated with you?

I’ve never been there but Dad used to live there and brought part of it with him. Dad imbued me with the culture and talked to me about this country: Music, cuisine… I really like African food and can eat it every day, but I have to maintain my physical condition so I try to limit it.

– Currently, when football is increasingly demanding, creative players will sometimes encounter difficulties…

Nowadays, finding the right moments to dribble and create is more difficult than before. The coaches are a bit more strict, they now have a clear idea of ​​how the team plays. And if someone dribbles too much to the limit, it can negatively affect the tactics that coaches want. However, as I said: You have to identify the right opportunity, the right moment and above all dribble with a specific purpose.

– Is it easy to understand those things?

What I would say to a child who likes to dribble is: “Go ahead and dribble, but you have to do it with a specific purpose in mind, don’t dribble for fun.” People who dribble just to get a nice highlight will make the coach angry, but if he does it to help the team then there is no problem. If your thinking is right, the coach will understand you. He will even encourage you to dribble.

– What is the most valuable advice you got from all of this?

I get advice on many situations… But the most important thing is the matches, the emotions. You can listen to others, but through experience you will better understand how things work. Additionally, you also learn from mistakes. If a coach or parent tells me something, I will listen and learn. But when I myself am in the situations they talk about, then I fully grasp it all.

– Germany needs a player like him, who has the ability to break a pattern that is sometimes too monotonous…

All football teams need people who can do the things we’ve been talking about since the beginning of this interview. I think the current German team has some players who can bring that. Currently, we have to learn how to use them in groups so that they are effective and everyone understands each other better. But I’m sure this creativity will bring benefits.

– Do you find it more difficult when everyone knows you?

Yes, it really is. In the first matches, I could manage and move quite easily because I had a lot of time. For now, there will always be 1-2 people waiting to stop. But on the other hand, it shows that I have been respected. So I had to find a way to adjust it properly.

– For 5 years, he relied on advice from a sports neuro coach, especially to achieve efficiency in his final actions. In the final minutes of last season’s final match, when he brought home the championship for Bayern, he had no fear…

I hadn’t scored a goal in a long time (last season, Musiala scored 12 goals and had 13 assists in the Bundesliga), so that goal brought relief. A really important goal. At that time, I had a lot of emotions, especially when I saw the whole team chasing me. Should I take off my shirt to celebrate? I think I did the right thing by not taking off my shirt (laughs). But the emotions at that time were indeed very strong.

– Is it because you play gracefully because you haven’t fully developed your muscles yet? More specifically, how do you strengthen your body while still maintaining agility?

I am following a workout program from last season that has helped me gain weight. However, I don’t want to be too big. Weight gain must not affect my speed and agility. Everything focuses on two priorities: Increasing speed; prevent injury.

– In what aspect do you feel you have improved the most?

Speed. I feel like I’ve gotten much faster in the two years I’ve been playing professionally. In addition, I have better dispute ability. I no longer feel like I’m being thrown off.

– Everyone says you are extremely strict with yourself.

The truth is I’m always hard on myself. For example, on Saturday I want to score at least one goal, otherwise I will be sad all next week. Many people tell me I should be more comfortable with myself. I know, but if I wasn’t strict with myself, I wouldn’t be sitting with you today.

– Is there any middle ground between the two extremes?

Yes, I agree with you: We have to keep the image fresh. My mother also said that.

– What did she say to you?

My mother gave me every possible advice depending on the situation. My mom told me not to put too much pressure on myself, even when things don’t go well. Basically, have fun.

– What are you currently focusing on improving and what level do you want to reach?

Do I have to choose just one thing? If so, I choose the passing skill to make the pass as effective as possible. I want 100% of the balls I make to land in the right place at the right time.

– This mentality also comes from basketball, right?

I’ve read a few books, especially one by Tim Grover (Michael Jordan’s long-time strength coach). It’s so inspiring. That book emphasizes three different concepts: “Cooler”, “closer” and “cleaner”. Athletes with a “cleaner” personality are people who know how to live in the present moment. People with the other two personalities will prefer to stay behind and rely on others. I want to be a responsible player for the team. After that, whether everything worked or not, as long as I had nothing to blame myself for, it was fine with me.

– Are you thinking about personal awards? For example, the Kopa Trophy?

Every child growing up says they want to win the Golden Ball. When you see Messi or Ronaldo win that award, you will definitely dream of doing it. But you have to persevere in working, practicing and winning titles. The personal awards are still there but you should look forward without looking at them too much.