"Lennart has been sensational. Nobody wants to hold the youngsters back. They should score as many goals as possible."
"You mustn't forget that he's only played three or four Bundesliga games."
"I can still remember when I was 20 and had a good season, Helmut Schön [then West Germany coach] took me aside and said: 'Mr. Hoeneß, if you keep playing like this, I'll call you up for the next camp.' - that was after one year."
"And now, when he plays three Bundesliga games, he's already being compared to Messi. So that's a bit of an exaggeration."
Lennart Karl, 17, equalized for Bayern in North London with a brilliant goal and displayed dribbling comparable to Lionel Messi. The performance prompted strong praise and encouragement for academy youngsters to score and develop. Concerns were raised about rushing Karl into a World Cup squad because he has only played three or four Bundesliga matches. A recalled anecdote about a 20-year-old earning a national call-up after one strong season was used to illustrate the contrast. Comparisons to Messi after a handful of senior appearances were described as exaggerated to keep young players grounded.
Read at Bavarian Football Works
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