Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany heaped praise on Lennart Karl on Tuesday, explaining his diminutive stature makes it difficult for defenders to get close to him. Kompany also acknowledged Karl's "relaxed attitude" as one of the keys to his dramatic rise. The 17-year-old has made 10 appearances for the Bavarian giants this season and has scored in back-to-back games, setting up a few records.
Karl's stocks rising after Bayern breakthrough
Karl has made rapid strides at Bayern Munich ever since he joined the club's youth academy as a promising 14-year-old in 2022. Last season, he made 26 appearances in all for Bayern's Under-17 and U19 outfits, scoring 32 goals and delivering 10 assists. His exquisite displays earned him a place in Bayern's squad for the Club World Cup over the summer, where he made his debut against Auckland City.
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, he was promoted to the first team and has made 10 appearances in total already, making three starts and aggregating 291 minutes of action – evidence that Kompany counts on the youngster to become an important piece of the rotational puzzle amid a demanding schedule. He became the youngest Bayern goal scorer in Champions League history last week, backing it up with his second-ever goal in the 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach to become the third-youngest goal scorer in club history in the Bundesliga.
Although his contract was renewed until 2028 earlier this summer, Bayern are set to reward the talented teenager with an automatic extension until 2029 on his 18th birthday on February 22, 2026. Per reports, he will also start earning a higher salary.
AdvertisementAFPKompany explains why Karl is so unique
"Lennart Karl, as a young player, brought that magic with him: his relaxed attitude and his goals. That's all good for us," Kompany said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday ahead of Bayern's second round clash against Koln in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday.
Asked what makes the teenager, who stands at 1.69m tall, so strong, Kompany said: "Shorter players often have a lot of power in their turns. It's tough for a defender to get close. They don't need a lot of space to cause danger. The key thing is how quickly they can get a shot away. I don't know if it's about size, but Lenni is able to get shots away quickly. Every good player in the Champions League is able to shoot half a second quicker than the others. I believe that makes the difference, not body size."
Karl receiving praise from former Bayern legends
Former Bayern Munich winger and club legend Arjen Robben has been tracking Karl's exploits, claiming that the young German is worthy of all the praise he is being lavished with. "Lennart Karl deserves the praise he received, he was superb," Robben told Bayern Munich's official website. "The lad should also enjoy it. The most important thing at that age is to keep focusing on the next game. You have to work on yourself every day and you can't think: 'I've played a great game now, everything's great'. You have to keep pushing yourself in training and not be satisfied with yourself. That's the difference in the really good players staying at the top for a long time. Getting to that point is one thing, but staying at the top is something else."
Another Bayern legend monitoring Karl's progress at Sabener Street is Lothar Matthaus. In a recent column for , he wrote: "Can Karl follow the path Jamal Musiala took before him? The possibilities are always there; it's up to the player himself, and he needs a coach who trusts him. I think Kompany trusts him based on his recent performances and isn't worried about benching or substituting a seasoned player for him. And I believe Karl will get regular playing time because he's delivered when he's been on the pitch.
"Karl will be deployed regularly. Vincent Kompany has slowly introduced Karl to the team, with brief appearances in the Bundesliga, the DFB Cup, and last week, his first full 90 minutes in the Champions League. Karl caused a sensation with his goals against Brugge and Gladbach, but he still needs to show up in training every day. He's ambitious and wants to develop – those are the basic requirements.
"This presents a great opportunity for FC Bayern to integrate another player from the campus into the first team, after [Aleksandar] Pavlovic and [Josip] Stanisic, as Uli Hoeness has always wanted. I believe Karl can become an important player for Kompany, who just extended his contract until 2029."
Getty Images SportChelsea, Man City, and Arsenal keeping an eye on Karl
Karl’s steady rise into the first team has not gone unnoticed, with several Premier League giants reportedly taking interest. According to , scouts from Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City have been tracking the teenage prodigy’s progress. Adding another layer of intrigue is his agent Michael Ballack’s connection to Chelsea, where he starred between 2006 and 2010.
For the remainder of the season, the priority will be ensuring Karl’s continued development through consistent minutes off the bench and occasional starts. His versatility gives Kompany valuable rotation options, given his ability to play on both wings in the attack and also as an attacking midfielder in the No.10 role. Should his progress persist, a call-up to Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for next year’s World Cup in the Americas may not be out of reach.
“He’s a fantastic player. He’s not afraid to dribble. He just has to keep working hard, and he’ll have a great future ahead of him,” Kane told this past weekend. “Who knows? If he plays a bit more from now on and plays like he did [against Club Brugge], then he has a chance [of making it to Germany's squad for the 2026 World Cup]."
