Sports
Why everyone is talking about Bayern Munich’s Lennart Karl, 17
Bayern Munich have started the 2025-26 season with 13 consecutive wins to equal the record set by AC Milan in 1992-93 across the five major European leagues. And they’ve done so without star midfielder Jamal Musiala, who broke his leg at the Club World Cup over the summer and will miss most of the campaign.
But they’ve also announced the next wonderkid on the European scene, as 17-year-old midfielder Lennart Karl has taken the world by storm to score twice in a week. Indeed, Karl has gone from rising star to regular first-team contributor at Bayern in only a matter of months, during which time he became the club’s youngest-ever Champions League goal scorer when he netted against Club Brugge.
He first joined Bayern academy at age 12, after formative spells at Viktoria Aschaffenburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, but he raced through multiple youth groups within three years, made his bow for the senior team and signed a professional contract that runs until the end of 2028 (with a reported automatic option to extend it longer on his 18th birthday, Feb. 22, 2026)
A long-term prodigy within Germany’s youth national teams, Karl’s development has been both anticipated and carefully managed. Despite having only featured up to Under-17 level so far, his impact there has been emphatic, with seven goals in 13 outings, and he is often used as the creative lynchpin of a talented generation.
The goal for Bayern against Brugge put him on the map as one of Germany’s most promising young prospects, and he continues to impress when given a chance to shine.
His game fits the concept of the modern Bayern attacking midfielder perfectly. Quick, direct, tactically flexible and technically superb, Karl has all the tools at his disposal and scored his first Bundesliga goal against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the weekend.
Position
Though generally comfortable in any role behind the central striker — including as a No. 10 — Karl is most effective as a right-sided playmaker who drifts inside onto his stronger left foot.
Excellent at playing between the defensive lines, his low center of gravity — he measures at just under 5-foot-6 — gives him the balance and agility to navigate short spaces. Meanwhile, an explosive first step makes him elusive in crowded areas, often allowing him to slip away from defenders before they’ve had the chance to get settled.
While predominantly right sided, Karl’s versatility is also a significant plus. He can operate centrally as a linking midfielder, or push wider to create overloads, showing the spatial awareness and timing to adjust as the game develops.
His ability to receive the ball on the half-turn and connect quickly his teammates has also successfully translated to senior level.
Strengths
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Bayern’s 17-year-old Lennart Karl scores a beauty for his first Bundesliga goal
Bayern’s 17-year-old Lennart Karl scores a beauty for his first Bundesliga goal to pad the lead against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Arguably, Karl’s most distinctive feature is his ball progression at pace. He manages physical contact well for his size, handles the ball neatly in tight areas and accelerates quickly away from pressure. His rapid changes of direction often open up space that he can exploit with disguised passes, give-and-go combinations, or early crosses. All of which are skills that make him hard to defend against.
Karl has also demonstrated that his build-up capabilities can be turned into end product. Across his U17 and U19 seasons at Bayern, Karl produced more than 30 goals and 10 assists, which are excellent figures for a teenager operating largely from wide or advanced midfield areas.
Those numbers match well with what scouts consistently praise: his direct, purposeful runs into the box, a confident shooting technique and an instinct for striking the ball early before defenders have time to react.
Even with only a handful of senior appearances under his belt, Karl’s decision making in the final third is mature for his age. He often receives the ball cleanly, generally releases at the right moment and shows composure under pressure. Moreover, there a clear tactical imprint from Bayern’s coaching at “The Campus” academy to his game: a preference for short, quick exchanges around the area, but also the vision to attack space when defenders step up too high.
Technically, Karl is very well equipped and thrives in combinational play, yet he also carries enough individual flair to create moments on his own. His first touch sets up his next move and his body orientation when receiving possession allows him to open up multiple passing angles.
While not a natural playmaker in the classical sense, his creative instincts — especially on cutbacks and disguised through balls — make him a valuable “connector” between midfield and attack.
While Karl isn’t physically imposing, he does compensate to a certain degree with remarkable balance and coordination. Early signs have shown that he can deal with challenges, regain his footing and keep the ball alive under contact, which are pre-requisites for someone entering the physical intensity of top-flight football. Furthermore, his intensity also matches Bayern’s brand of possession-dominant, attacking football.
Things to work on
Karl’s next steps mostly revolve around consistency and robustness. While his technical base is already outstanding, sustaining intensity across full matches — particularly off the ball — remains an obvious area to work on.
Applying himself in the counter-press, tracking runners and maintaining compact defensive shape are also learning points and should come with maturity and physical development.
Some habits from youth football will need refining too. Against academy opponents, Karl could often beat one extra defender and still find a way to take a shot; at senior level, however, the right choice may be an early one-two pass or finding the overlapping right back. And while the speed of his decision making is good, exploiting the split-second “execution window” against experienced defenders is likely to be a key area to improve.
Bayern’s head coach Vincent Kompany has publicly urged calm by stressing patience over premature expectations. That balance suits Karl’s personality well, as he’s grounded and receptive to feedback, aided by the presence of his agent and mentor — former Germany captain Michael Ballack — who advises him on his career and on developing the defensive side of his game.
In quotes
“Lennart considers Martin Ödegaard as a role model, and I really do see parallels. But he’s also a bit like Arjen Robben and Michael Olise – players who like to cut inside and finish.” — Bayern youth coach Patrick Kaniuth
“I’m not a fan of hype, and now he will be getting some of that. I’m a fan of training and calm … Everyone knows he can score goals and if he keeps going like this, he’ll get a chance and maybe at the right time he’ll need a bit of calm.” — Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany
“As a young player, you don’t have pressure. I want Lennart to feel that too. He has to enjoy what he’s doing. If he makes mistakes, we’ll discuss it. Hopefully, at some point, the pressure will be on his shoulders. But for now he should enjoy these moments without any pressure.” — Kompany
“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.” — Bayern teammate Harry Kane
“I really want to establish myself here at Bayern … I always want to play and prove myself, whether it’s with the first team, the U19s or the U17s. I intend to always give my all in order to continue to develop.” — Lennart Karl
What’s next?
Bayern’s stated progression plan for Karl is sensible: they want to avoid external noise and ensure his gradual exposure to senior football. After all, pre-season minutes have turned into real matchday opportunities, which is already an encouraging sign at a club where young attackers often wait longer for opportunities.
In the short term, Bayern seem intent on rotating Karl through multiple attacking roles: as a right-sided inside-forward, a narrow No. 10, and occasionally a left-sided option to encourage his two-footed development. Each role offers a different challenge, but will help refining abilities such as acceleration, composure, flexibility, game intelligence and creative risk-taking.
His continued involvement with Germany’s youth teams is also expected and a U21 call-up seems a logical next step in November. Though at this rate a senior call-up (perhaps even for the summer’s World Cup?) should not be ruled out either.
Harry Kane has reiterated that Bayern Munich still have “a lot to play for” this season after winning the Bundesliga title following their 4-2 thrashing of Stuttgart on Sunday.
The England international was substituted on at half time to bag his 31st goal, taking his tally to 51 across all competitions for Bayern this season, the most by any player for a top-five league side since Erling Haaland in 2022-23 (52).
After retaining the title — Bayern’s 13th in 14 seasons — an overjoyed Kane shared his ambitions for the remainder of the season.
“It’s been a fantastic season for us to finish the league off in the way we have with the goals that we scored.” Kane said.
“It’s a credit to the mentality of the boys, from the first game to the last we just keep pushing.
“We still have a lot to play for in other competitions, but all the hard work and days together this makes it worth it to be champions again.”
Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Díaz have a combined 94 goal contributions between them this season — the most by a trio on record (since 1988) in the Bundesliga.
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Kane celebrated the trio’s chemistry: “It’s special, I feel like the relationship just get stronger and stronger, it grows every time we play and train with each other.
“There is still a lot to play for we feel good every time when we’re on the pitch.
Two more trophies are up for grabs for Vincent Kompany’s side, with a semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup to play next as well as a highly-anticipated clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals.
Kompany, who has now won the Bavarian club’s 34th and 35th Bundesliga crowns, hailed the opportunity to keep winning trophies.
“The numbers are great, but it’s not over yet,” Kompany said.
“We keep going. It’s also a question of mentality. We always give our all, whether in pre-season or for a competitive fixture and I don’t want to stop yet.
“We’ve got crucial weeks to come. We’re excited, but also know how tough it’ll be. Our belief is there, and that’s very valuable in football.”
Additional information from PA contributed to this report.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a one-year ban on Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka from participation in the next edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), citing contractual violations.
Shanaka was signed by defending champions Lahore Qalandars for Rs7.5 million in the accelerated round of the inaugural players auction, held in February this year.
But just three days before the commencement of the ongoing PSL 11, the franchise confirmed that the Sri Lankan all-rounder has withdrawn due to personal reasons and was replaced by Australia’s Daniel Sams in the squad.
In a statement, the PCB said it conducted a comprehensive assessment of recent contractual developments involving Shanaka and Lahore Qalandars, after the player withdrew from the tournament on March 21, 2026.
The board concluded that the unilateral withdrawal amounted to a clear breach of the player registration terms and the tripartite agreement. It further noted that the reasons cited for the withdrawal were not covered under the existing contractual framework.
While acknowledging Shanaka’s expressions of regret and his stated desire to continue playing in Pakistan, the PCB said the nature of the breach required regulatory action to safeguard the integrity and exclusivity of the league.
As a result, the PCB confirmed that Shanaka has been barred from participating in PSL 12, effective immediately.
Meanwhile, in a statement released by the PCB, the Sri Lankan all-rounder issued an apology to Pakistani fans and the wider cricket community.
“I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the HBL PSL and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of HBL PSL, and the wider cricket community,” Shanaka was quoted as saying by the PCB.
“The HBL PSL is a prestigious tournament, and I fully understand the disappointment caused by my actions. To the loyal fans of Lahore Qalandars, I am truly sorry for letting you down.”
He further clarified that he had no intention of joining any other franchise league at the time of his withdrawal from the PSL, urging that he has great respect for Pakistani fans and expressing his hope to make his return to the marquee league soon.
“I must clarify that at the time I withdrew from the PSL I had no intention of joining any other tournament. I have the greatest respect for Pakistani Fans and have always enjoyed my time in Pakistan. I hope to return to the HBL PSL in the future with renewed dedication and the trust of the fans.”
Just under a month ago, Maryland Terrapins guard Oluchi Okanawa went viral for an intense moment with her coach Brenda Frese in their 74-66 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament.
Now, she is headlining what appears to be a rebuild of the Nigeria women’s basketball program.
Okananwa, the Terrapins star player, was having a dreadful third quarter where she turned the ball over multiple times, missed three free throws and missed a layup before getting yanked by Frese.
What followed turned out to be one of the most viral moments of March Madness. Frese went forehead-to-forehead with the guard in an intense coaching moment, telling her star Terrapin “I believe in you, but you got to want this moment!”
Oluchi went back into the game, immediately scored, got a steal and ended up with 21 points in a remarkable turnaround. She said after the game that she welcomed the intensity of the coaching moment.
“Coach understands I’m a competitor at heart,” she said. “I’ve told her this before, and I’ll keep on telling her this forever. I love to be coached hard. That’s what she does with me every single day.”
Less than four weeks later, Okananwa is now top of the list on the Nigeria women’s basketball team, as they named a 21-player training camp roster ahead of a series of friendlies against WNBA opposition, part of preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
Far from routine, the squad named by head coach Rena Wakama, appears to be a clear indication that D’Tigress are fully in refresh season, with a wave of NCAA-based players called up, led by Okananwa and Texas Tech’s Stephanie Okechukwu, the tallest player in the history of NCAA women’s basketball at 7 feet 1 inch.
Both players are part of a total of 15 players on that roster picked from fourteen different US programs. Of those, Okananwa and Okechukwu are the undisputed picks of a bunch spanning Power Four programs, the Ivy League and the junior college ranks.
It is the most concentrated draw on the NCAA pipeline in D’Tigress history and comes in the wake of the departure of former captain Sarah Ogoke, as the NBBF looks to lower the age of the team with players like Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, and Victoria Macaulay the other side of 30.
Okananwa, a junior, earned AP and WBCA All-America honorable mention honors this season after averaging 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and a Big Ten-leading 74 steals in 33 starts for the Terrapins. She led Maryland in scoring in 28 of 33 games and reached 20 points or more in 14 outings.
With her talent, Okananwa could well be the face and future of Nigeria women’s basketball.
Okechukwu, the 7-foot-1 center from Umunneochi, Nigeria, who attended high school in Japan, signed with Texas Tech in January as the tallest player in the history of NCAA women’s basketball.
She did not play during the 2025-26 season due to NCAA eligibility complications related to her academic transcripts, but remains enrolled at Texas Tech and is expected to compete beginning next season.
Stanford are the only program to contribute more than one player. They are Shay Ijiwoye, a sophomore guard from Phoenix, Arizona, who appeared in 32 games for the Cardinals last season, averaging 2.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
Her teammate Nora Ezike, a freshman forward from La Grange, Illinois, made her Nigeria debut at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Brno, Czechia, last July, where she opened with 25 points on 8-for-8 shooting in Nigeria’s first-ever U19 World Cup victory against China. She played in nine games off the Stanford bench in 2025-26.
Another addition is Uche Izoje, who may be college basketball’s most compelling origin story. The 6-foot-3 center from Asaba, Delta State, left Nigeria at age 13 to play basketball in Japan, spent two seasons with Chanson V-Magic in the Women’s Japan Basketball League as a two-time All-Star and 2024 Rookie of the Year, then arrived in the United States for the first time to play at Syracuse.
In her debut college season she averaged 15.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and a conference-leading 2.6 blocks per game, capping a standout debut season by winning ACC Rookie of the Year and going on to score 23 points in 25 minutes against Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma called her “the best player we’ve seen this year.”
Miami freshman forward Danielle Osho, a four-star recruit from Dacula, Georgia and a two-time Georgia state high school champion, also earns a call-up. Osho averaged 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in her first college season with the Hurricanes.
Despite the seemingly overwhelming number of NCAA-related rookies, the squad is held together by an experienced core of vets that include Kalu, Amukamara, Macaulay, Nicole Enabosi and Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah.
But they are also missing just as much experience, including the leadership of captain Amy Okonkwo, who signed a training camp contract with the Dallas Wings after averaging 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals across eight appearances in her WNBA debut with the franchise in 2025.
Elizabeth Balogun is in a similar position with the Toronto Tempo. Murjanatu Musa is also absent, competing instead with Basket Landes at the EuroLeague Women’s Final Six in Zaragoza, Spain, where she is in the running for the MVP in only her first season in that competition.
Despite this influx of largely young and untested players, Kunayi-Akpanah says the objective for those three games in the States is clear.
“These aren’t just exhibition games,” she said. “These are games for us to test our plays, our systems and how we communicate under pressure. Basically, everything we’ve been building. All is to arrive in our best shape for the World Cup in September.”
D’Tigress face the Los Angeles Sparks on April 25, the Minnesota Lynx on April 27, and the Indiana Fever on May 2 as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, which begins September 4 in Berlin, Germany.
Nigeria qualified as AfroBasket champions, but were still required to take part in World Cup qualifying tournament where they went 2-3.
Still, those results were sufficient to maintain their eighth-place standing in the FIBA Women’s World Rankings with 700.3 points and D’Tigress remain the only African nation ranked inside the global top 10.
Full training camp roster:
Promise Amukamara, Shay Ijiwoye, Donanu Regina, Jerni Kiaku, Ezinne Kalu, Oluchi Okananwa, Gabby White, Nora Ezike, Victoria Macaulay, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Suzie Rafiu, Danielle Osho, Nicole Enabosi, Maryam Dauda, Rita Igbokwe, Stephanie Okechukwu, Uche Izoje, Vera Ojenuwa, Favour Nwaedozi and Blessing Ejiofor.
D’Tigress College Future:
Shay Ijiwoye – Stanford
Donanu Regina – Barton Community College
Jerni Kiaku – Indiana University Hoosiers
Oluchi Okananwa – Maryland
Gabby White – UVA transferring to UNC
Nora Ezike – Stanford
Vivian Iwuchukwu – USC Trojans
Suzie Rafiu – Columbia University
Danielle Osho – Miami Hurricanes
Maryam Dauda – U South Carolina Gamecocks
Rita Igbokwe – Ole Miss
Stephanie Okechukwu – Texas
Uche Izoje – Syracuse
Vera Ojenuwa – UGA
Favour Nwaedozi – Mississippi State
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