"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."
Bayern Munich have opened the 2025-26 season with 13 consecutive wins, equalling AC Milan's 1992-93 record across Europe's top five leagues. Jamal Musiala suffered a broken leg at the Club World Cup and will miss most of the campaign. Seventeen-year-old Lennart Karl has become a regular first-team contributor, scoring twice in a week and becoming Bayern's youngest-ever Champions League scorer against Club Brugge. Karl joined Bayern's academy at 12 after spells at Viktoria Aschaffenburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, signed a professional contract running to the end of 2028 with an automatic extension option on his 18th birthday, and has seven goals in 13 Germany youth appearances. Karl is quick, direct, tactically flexible and technically superb, and is comfortable in roles behind the central striker, including as a No. 10.
Read at ESPN.com
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