Oliver Kahn Urges Jamal Musiala to Skip World Cup Amid Recovery Struggles

The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is proving to be a grueling test of patience for Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala. While the 23-year-old playmaker is fighting to regain his elite form, former Bayern CEO and legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has issued a stark warning: Musiala should consider stepping away from the tournament entirely to prioritize his long-term health.

Kahn’s recommendation comes at a critical juncture for the German international, who has struggled to find his rhythm following a devastating injury sequence. Speaking on the Sky program “Triple – der Hagedorn-Fußballtalk,” Kahn argued that the pressure to perform on the world’s biggest stage could be detrimental if the player is not fully recovered.

“He should forgo participating in the World Cup,” Kahn stated. “If I feel that something is wrong with my game—perhaps I am not yet ready to head into challenges—then I have to work on myself until I am ready again. As a professional, I must think: I must first reach my old level, and then I can think about World Cups and the big things.”

The debate over Musiala’s World Cup participation centers on a traumatic incident from last summer during the Club World Cup in the United States. A collision with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma left Musiala with a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle, requiring surgery and sidelining him until the start of the year.

Reports suggest the recovery process has been fraught with difficulty. Musiala likely returned to training too early in December, leading to a struggle that has been as much mental as it has been physical. Even as he returned to the pitch—most recently appearing in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid in Madrid on April 7—the evidence of his struggle remains. He has recently suffered a stress reaction in his ankle, which led to his omission from recent German national team matches against Switzerland and Ghana.

The Conflict: Club Hopes vs. Medical Reality

While Kahn advocates for a cautious, long-term approach, the sentiment within Bayern Munich and the German national team setup is different. Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has expressed hope that Musiala will be fit in time for the summer tournament, though he has set a non-negotiable standard for the player’s inclusion.

Nagelsmann emphasized that a nomination is only realistic if Musiala is fully recovered and performing at his peak. “Jamal must, like everyone else, be at 100 percent if he wants to play,” Nagelsmann noted, adding that the primary goal is for Musiala to be completely pain-free and capable of reaching his previous performance levels.

For those unfamiliar with the terminology, a “stress reaction” in the ankle—like the one Musiala recently experienced—is often a precursor to a stress fracture if the athlete continues to push through the pain. It’s this fragility that fuels the skepticism of observers like Kahn and Sky expert Dietmar Hamann.

Hamann believes the window for a successful return is closing rapidly. With only seven weeks remaining before the tournament begins, Hamann argues that Musiala’s current form makes his participation unlikely. “The World Cup is not a topic for Jamal Musiala at the moment,” Hamann said. “He has to see that he finds his form. If he has it again, then everything comes by itself. But time is running out.”

The Stakes for the 2026/27 Campaign

The core of the disagreement lies in the definition of “readiness.” For Kahn, the risk is not just about the World Cup, but the potential for a permanent decline in Musiala’s capabilities. He suggests that rushing back into the highest intensity of international football could jeopardize the 2026/27 campaign.

Musiala’s journey back to the top has been a slow climb. After the initial surgery and the subsequent struggle to regain his “old self,” the pressure to deliver for both club and country has mounted. The collision with Donnarumma didn’t just break a bone; it disrupted the trajectory of one of Europe’s most gifted technicians.

As the deadline approaches, the decision will likely fall to a combination of medical staff and the player’s own feeling of stability in his ankle. If Musiala cannot reach that “100 percent” threshold demanded by Nagelsmann, Kahn’s advice to skip the tournament may shift from a suggestion to a necessity.

The football world now waits to see if the “Edeltechniker” can defy the odds and recover in time, or if he will accept the harder path of stepping back to ensure his career isn’t permanently compromised.

The next critical checkpoint will be Musiala’s availability for upcoming Bayern Munich fixtures and subsequent national team call-ups as the final World Cup squad deadline nears.

Do you think Musiala should risk the World Cup or follow Kahn’s advice and focus on long-term health? Let us know in the comments.