“I’ll let Jamal know that we’re ready and he can join the call”. It’s 3pm on a random Thursday afternoon in mid-September and I’m about to speak with one of the most talented 21-year-olds on the planet right now. Jamal Musiala.

The Bayern Munich and Germany star appears sandwiched between his manager’s head and mine. “Hey Jamal, nice to meet you. How are you today?” My opening gambit of choice. “Tired”. Mmm. Needed a stronger opener. Yet, despite his admitted tiredness, Jamal seems more spritely than most on a random Thursday afternoon in mid-September. Maybe it’s the fact Bayern haven’t lost a Bundesliga game yet this season or he’s still riding that post Euro 2024 Golden Boot wave. He might have shared the award with five other players but there really is only one Jamal Musiala. 

Back in 2021, during London’s postponed Euro 2020, Musiala became the youngest German player to ever feature at a major tournament. One year later, he became the second-youngest player to score for Germany. The following year, at the 2022 World Cup, he became the first German teenager to feature in the competition since 1958. Every now and then there are players who seem, quite simply, magical. The type of performer who mesmerises fans with jaw-dropping showcases so regularly, you grow to expect them. Odds-defying. That’s Musiala. Supposedly nicknamed “Bambi” because of his dribbling ability, Musiala is anything but a deer in headlights in front of goal, though. In 172 appearances for the most successful side in German football history, he’s scored 47 goals and collected 29 assists. Did I mention he’s only 21? The best really is yet to come from the Stuttgart born, South London raised, German starboy.

As the worlds of fashion and football become even further intertwined, young players like Musiala are choosing to flex their expressive muscles off the pitch more than ever before. “I feel like Bottega fits my style best compared to most other brands out there.” And he’s not wrong. At 6 ft tall, Bottega’s AW24 range sits perfectly on Musiala. The subtlety of the cuts, the cool colour palettes accentuated by considered pops of colour and texture. “I don’t enjoy wearing clothing that’s over the top and in your face. I like how understated Bottega is.” I'm impressed by his mindset but it’s a willingness to show more of his personality I’m taken aback by. Yes, younger players understand the importance of presenting and packaging themselves to the world more than previous generations, but Musiala wants to control his narrative. And we’re happy to help him get started on that journey. 

VERSUS sat down with Jamal Musiala to talk about his newfound love for fashion, why it’s vital for players to have passion points outside the game, how intersectionality shapes his view of the world and why the spotlight doesn’t faze him. 

‍You spoke before about wanting to try new things and experiment a little bit more. At what point did you decide to do that with fashion?

I think maybe in the last year or two. I think before then, I didn’t really mind too much because my entire focus was football, football and football. And it still is! But now I realise how important it is to have outlets outside of the game. 

In a weird way, when everything is about football and it’s all you think about, you run the risk of not being happy. It affects how comfortable and free you feel on the pitch – your performance can ironically be affected negatively if your only outlet is football. I’m fortunate in that I have a few things I really enjoy outside of my job, and one of them is now fashion. 

‍Is there “more” you’re aiming for with fashion or is it centred around self-expression? Would you ever, for example, walk at a Fashion Week?

I’d never say no! But it would have to be the right brand – it would have to feel authentic and sit with who I am as a person, and my style. I wouldn’t say “yes” for the sake of it. I don’t like it when partnerships seem fake, it doesn’t feel right to me. I’d like to attend shows at fashion weeks, I’d definitely like to do that. 

You’re a huge NBA fan. “Tunnel Fits” have been a core component of US basketball culture for years. Do you think we’ll ever see clubs or teams do something similar on a regular basis? 

I love the NBA “Tunnel Fits”, and League Fits, because I really like to see what the players are wearing. I know Barcelona did it for a little while but I’m not sure whether it’ll be something we see regularly in football. We usually have to turn up to games wearing the same outfit – our training wear or travel wear – and in that moment before KO our focus is solely on the match, as it should be. I think maybe you could do it when turning up to the training ground, though. I’m seeing more and more players do that when going to training. 

You’re one of the most talked about young ballers in football. How do you manage that level of spotlight and pressure? 

What’s really important for me is not to put any extra pressure on myself. One way I do that is by not reading what’s being said about me in the media or on socials. You’re not going to have a good game every match, so when you haven't, you don’t need to go and read what people are saying about you. Stay within your bubble – your own network of trusted individuals – do things away from football and try to have fun in your everyday life. I do think social media, in particular, puts a crazy amount of additional pressure on athletes – not just footballers. Avoiding that and focussing on what your coaches, teammates and people around you have to say is way more important for your development, both physically and mentally. Not what someone on X writes without knowing you or anything about you. 

I mean, I love basketball but I don’t know much about the sport from a technical standpoint. So, if I went on social media and called a player bad – without having any knowledge or experience of the game – they could see it and it might affect them quite badly. I don’t think the people writing these things realise or even recognise how much impact their words can have. 

At 21, your mindset and determination to push yourself is off the charts, even for a professional athlete. Have you always been that way? 

I think it’s a combination of having had to work really hard at it, being resilient, but also, I am a very determined person. I want to do the best I can and I enjoy pushing myself as much as possible. I think it is important to have that mentality internally. When I was younger I remember my dad always encouraging and pushing me to do more and that’s just stuck with me. Of course I’ve had to work at it over the years, but I think I’m perhaps naturally wired to keep progressing. I enjoy working on myself. The more I worked hard, the better the results were. At first it was my dad telling me that would be the case but then I could see the truth for myself. Like I mentioned earlier though, life is about balance. It’s important to strive to be the best but you have to make sure you’re in-tune with your body and your needs. There will be lots of people with great advice and it’s good to listen to as many as possible, but you take the elements you think will work best for you. You don’t need to listen to everyone and try everything. Life’s about balance. 

You’ve grown up exposed to a world of culture. English, German, Nigerian. Being able to represent those different parts of your identity must be something you’re proud of. A lot of people – especially young fans – will see similarities with their heritage and yours. Is that ever something you think about? 

I’ve been to a lot of places and been around a lot of different cultures and I’ve always been keen to know and learn about them. I think it’s helped me, I’m quite an open minded person. I like to see how people from different cultures see the same thing, how they interact with it and what decisions they make as a result of who they are. I’ve always found that interesting. There are so many things I’ve learned having lived in Germany and England, and I take those things with me now, moving forward. 

What can fans expect from Jamal Musiala this season?

I don’t put numbers on anything, all I try to do every season is keep on improving. Whether that’s scoring more goals or providing more assists to help the team. It’s always about winning trophies, that’s the goal for every season and we’ve had a good start to the campaign so far. It’s about maintaining that momentum and pushing for more now. 

Jamal wears the Bottega Veneta Winter 24 collection.

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Photographer: @thomasvankristen

Asst: @moritzdeuerlein

Digi: @simon_mayr

Creative Director: @morganallann

Set Design: @murdohepburn

Asst: @st.laura

Gaffer: @danielpeterschulz

‍Spark: @bastel_king

‍Stylist: @marcohalbinger

MUA: @elahaeusler‍

Producer: @myfriendsallysue

Asst: @hannahnas

Videographer: @tylerjmes_

Editor-in-Chief: @amiloucri

Talent Liaison: @gusssmck

VERSUS: A few weeks ago you joined us in Munich for a photoshoot. Bottega Veneta provided the styling, a brand you’ve appreciated for some time now. When did you first discover Bottega?

Jamal Musiala: I don’t know when exactly, or what sort of age I was at the time, but over the years now I’ve gotten more into fashion and so I’ve just been trying different brands out. I really liked Bottega’s vibe so I started to wear more and more of their pieces, and that’s how it started. I feel like Bottega fits my style best compared to most other brands out there right now. 

‍It’s cool to hear you feel so aligned to the brand from a style point of view. Why do you think that is? 

I’ve never really thought about that…I think it’s quite chilled but also there’s just something about it, you know? I’m trying to think of the word in English, I’m sure it'll come to me! 

I like to think I’m quite a chilled and relaxed person, so I prefer to keep my looks quite clean and minimalist. Understated! That’s the word I was trying to think of earlier – Bottega are quite understated with their designs but also elevated at the same time. I really like that about them: that they can be so simple yet still turn heads, for the right reasons. All of the fits I’ve even worn, and the accessories from Bottega, have been super clean. That’s why I think we’re quite aligned. 

‍During the Euros earlier this year you were spotted with a few Bottega bits. 

They were kind enough to send me a really sick duffel bag, toiletry bag and headset cover for my Apple Air Maxs. 

‍How did your German teammates react when they saw you pull up to camp with those accessories? 

Everyone typically brings their own bags when on national team duties but it was nice to be the only person in camp carrying Bottega. You never want the same thing as everyone else! I know my agent got quite a few phone calls when people saw me with the duffel bag, that was quite cool. People were asking, “what’s the bag Jamal is carrying? Where did he get it from?”. I think it’s important to show your own sense of style where and when you can. I also really loved the fact I had the Bottega cover for my headset, too. I am always listening to music, especially before games. The colourway was clean, I wear it all the time – I’m not really a fan of clothing or accessories that draw a lot of attention. 

‍What do you mean?

I don’t like designs that are too loud, you know? Which is why I really like Bottega and was really happy with the pieces I carried during the Euros.

‍I get it. There’s a fine line. Sometimes you can end up wearing something that’s over the top or even tacky because of how “out there” the design is. 

I think so too. And I don’t ever want to be seen as either of those things haha. I think it’s possible to get a mixture of the two, though  – understated but vibrant. You can wear colourful pieces! Colour can be a really good way of expressing yourself. 

‍You mentioned you’re always listening to music. What’s on your playlist right now? 

I love music, I spend a lot of time listening to music. Whether I’m in the car travelling to a game, in the changing room or at home in my downtime. I always like trying to find new songs – I guess that’s similar to what I’ve been saying about fashion and exploration. I like to find new artists and albums to listen to. Recently I went back and listened to as many songs as possible from 2015, 2016 and 2017. All the hit songs that came out during those years. 

‍Why did you do that? 

I missed a lot of those tracks growing up, I was too young to really remember them properly. When I was younger, I wasn’t that big of a music fan. I like to go even further back and find songs I didn’t even know existed! I really enjoy going through albums from beginning to end, too. Not too long ago I went through every Future album. There’s always a new artist for me to discover: someone I like listening to at the moment is A Boogie. My taste also depends on what mood I’m in. But generally, my tastes are very open.