MUNICH — Seventeen-year-old Lennart Karl made a stunning debut as a starter in the Champions League, seizing the moment with a remarkable performance.
Just five minutes into the match against Club Brugge on Wednesday, Karl etched his name in history as Bayern Munich‘s youngest goalscorer in Champions League history, surpassing the previous record held by Jamal Musiala.
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Impressed yet concerned, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany noted the potential challenges of newfound fame for his young talent.
“I’m not a fan of hype; I prefer training and composure,” Kompany shared with broadcaster DAZN. “His performance today was solid. If he continues this way, he’ll earn more opportunities, but he may need to maintain his calm when the spotlight shines.”
Karl’s goal came after receiving a midfield pass from Jonathan Tah. He skillfully maneuvered past defender Brandon Mechele and lashed a curling left-footed shot from the edge of the box, catching goalkeeper Nordin Jackers off guard.
Karl joyfully celebrated with a knee slide into the corner flag, where he was quickly embraced by Bayern striker Harry Kane and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic.
Karl’s goal helped pave the way for a commanding 4-0 victory for Bayern, which included notable contributions from Kane and new signing Luis Díaz. Kane netted his 20th goal of the season with a close-range finish following a cross from Konrad Laimer, and Díaz scored his first Champions League goal for Bayern after transferring from Liverpool. Nicolas Jackson capped the match with a goal in the 79th minute, bringing the final score to 4-0.
With this win, Bayern joins an elite group of five teams that have claimed victory in all three of their league stage matches so far.
Karl, at 17 years and 242 days, has broken Musiala’s record, where he was 121 days older when he scored against Lazio four years ago.
Interestingly, Karl wears the same jersey number, 42, that Musiala donned during that historic match.
This marks Karl’s first senior club goal, coming in his 10th appearance for Bayern across all competitions after making his debut during the Club World Cup, where Bayern triumphed 10-0 against Auckland City in June.