According to an anecdote on the SZ podcast Un num zum Sport (as reported by Bild) Real Madrid almost signed Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl back in 2018, almost four years before he moved to the Bavarian
capital.
This story comes to us from Süddeutsche Zeitung correspondent Sebastian Leisgang, who has been writing for the paper since 2017. He comes from the area near Karl’s hometown of Frammersbach in Lower Franconia and knows the family personally.
How it happened
Speaking on the podcast, Leisgang revealed how the sequence of events took place (translation courtesy of @iMiaSanMia):
He had a trial with Real Madrid when he was 10 years old. There were training camps at the regional level, one of them in Großkrotzenburg in the Aschaffenburg region.
From there he progressed to the next round, which was in Memmingen. He prevailed there again and was then invited to Real Madrid and allowed to play in the Bernabéu.
As you know, the deal with Real Madrid didn’t work out back then. The father later told me that he was very glad about it because he felt it wasn’t really about his son – but rather about negotiating contracts for big player agencies.
That’s why it fell through, and looking back, the family certainly doesn’t regret it.
Did Madrid miss out?
Looking at how Lennart Karl has developed since 2018, it almost certainly feels like it. The youngster has been a revelation for Bayern Munich this season, nabbing the following records (via Squawka):
- Youngest Bayern Munich player to score in the Champions League.
- Youngest player to score in his first two CL starts.
- Youngest player to score in three straight CL games.
- Youngest player to score and assist in the Bundesliga game.
- Youngest player to record five Bundesliga goal involvements.
At just seventeen years old, there are already calls for Julian Nagelsmann to call up Karl to the German national team. Spearheading these efforts is the team captain himself, Joshua Kimmich (who is also Karl’s teammate at Bayern Munich).
Kimmich argues that being able to start and play for Bayern Munich means that Karl is ready for the top level of football, regardless of his age. If that argument applies to the national team, then it certainly applies to Real Madrid as well.
However, note what Karl’s father said — he was glad the deal didn’t work out. It’s likely that if Karl moved to Madrid at such a young age (just ten years old at the time) it would have affected his development. Instead, making the move to Eintracht Frankfurt’s youth team in 2017 turned out to be the right decision, as it eventually landed him at Bayern Munich.
It took a few more years, but Karl now finds himself starting regularly for the biggest club in Germany. His contract automatically extends when he turns 18, so if Real Madrid (or any other team) want him, then they’ll have to cough up Neymar levels of money. Even then, Bayern Munich would probably still say no.
Yes, he is that talented. Besides, Madrid have more attackers than they know what to do with. With Vinicius Jr, Mbappe, Rodrygo, Bellingham and more — Xabi Alonso is well furnished with attacking options. Maybe Karl wouldn’t be having his sudden breakout season if he moved to Madrid.
Football is all about small coincidences like these — they make or break careers.
