Despite being sidelined due to injury, playmaker Jamal Musiala remains firmly in Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann’s plans for the upcoming summer World Cup. This commitment is notably underscored by the German Football Association’s (DFB) decision regarding jersey numbers as the team kicks off its World Cup year preparations.
For the upcoming international friendlies – first in Basel against Switzerland on Friday, followed by a match in Stuttgart against Ghana three days later – Musiala’s renowned number ’10’ will not be assigned to any other player.
The legendary digit stands as the sole number between one and 26 to be deliberately withheld during this double-header of test matches. Musiala, who plays for Bayern Munich, is currently recovering from a pain reaction following a significant injury sustained last summer.
Nagelsmann openly stated he would have «loved to have the 23-year-old talent present.» However, he opted to leave out the offensive player, prioritizing his health and acknowledging FC Bayern’s critical «crunch time» in their pursuit of the league title.
DFB Team: Other Key Jersey Assignments
As anticipated, goalkeeper Oliver Baumann will wear the number one jersey for both matches in Basel and Stuttgart. The Hoffenheim player serves as the primary choice in the German goal during the absence of the injured Marc-André ter Stegen.
Captain Joshua Kimmich retains his familiar number ‘6’, even with considerations for him potentially playing as a right-back at the World Cup. Winger Kevin Schade has been assigned the center-forward’s number ‘9’. Newcomer Lennart Karl will wear ’25’ as he aims to secure a squad spot for the final tournament set to take place in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.