Real Madrid is keeping a close watch on Bayern Munich’s 16-year-old starlet, Lennart Karl, as the promising talent continues to impress in Germany’s youth leagues. Meanwhile, the club’s attention was diverted during the Ballon d’Or 2024, where Vinícius Júnior, expected to win, lost out to Manchester City’s Rodri. Amid disappointment and claims of injustice, Real Madrid opted to skip the event, signaling frustration over what they felt was a lack of respect for their player, with many believing Dani Carvajal, a standout performer for both club and country, deserved the recognition if Vinícius had not won.
Real Madrid Eye 16-Year-Old Bayern Munich Starlet
Real Madrid stays focused on scouting promising young talents worldwide, a strategy that has brought them success in recent years.
The current champions of Spain and Europe are keeping an eye on several emerging talents, including Franco Mastantuono, Vitor Reis, and Valentin Gomez, who have caught their attention.
It seems that another highly promising young talent has attracted the interest of the La Liga giants.
Real Madrid Targeting Lennart Karl
According to Sky Sports Germany’s Kerry Hau, Real Madrid is one of the clubs showing interest in Bayern Munich’s teenage sensation, Lennart Karl.
The 16-year-old attacking midfielder joined Bayern Munich in 2022 from SV Viktoria Aschaffenburg and has already shown remarkable development.
Now a member of Bayern Munich’s Under-17 team, Karl has scored 19 goals and provided eight assists in just 11 games in Germany’s U-17 league.
The teenage prodigy recently made his debut for Bayern Munich’s Under-19 team in the UEFA Youth League against Barcelona, with a full promotion to the senior squad likely soon.
Due to his talent and potential, Karl is garnering significant interest from both Real Madrid and AFC Ajax.
The 16-year-old is under contract with Bayern Munich until the summer of 2026 and is managed by German football legend Michael Ballack.
Bayern Munich has plans for Karl, aiming to move him up to the Under-19 squad this winter before loaning him out next summer.
With clubs like Real Madrid and Ajax showing interest, the future of the talented Karl remains uncertain.
Ballon d’Or 2024: Real Madrid Skip as Vinícius Loses to Rodri
The media had been buzzing about it for days. On Monday night in Paris, Vinícius Júnior was expected to cap off a standout year by winning the Ballon d’Or. With the victory almost assured, Real Madrid planned to send a large delegation to Paris, and Nike organized celebrations in Spain for the Brazilian forward. However, by Monday afternoon, those plans fell apart.
Hours before the event began, reports surfaced on social media and major European outlets revealing that Vinícius had lost the Ballon d’Or to Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Real Madrid’s reaction was one of shock and disbelief, and it was soon announced that Vinícius would not attend the ceremony. In fact, no one from the Spanish club would be present—not president Florentino Pérez, nor coach Carlo Ancelotti, and not even French forward Kylian Mbappé.
Rodri, currently recovering from a long-term injury, became only the second Spaniard to win the Ballon d’Or, following Luis Suárez Miramontes’ victory in 1960. Despite being named Euro 2024’s Player of the Tournament after Spain’s summer triumph, the Manchester City midfielder faced boos in Paris, with chants of “Vini, Vini” erupting as Liberian legend George Weah announced his win.
Madrid’s frustration was directed not at Rodri but at UEFA and France Football. The 15-time European champions expressed their feelings of “injustice,” claiming to have been “tricked” and disrespected. Los Blancos argued that they were led to believe Vinícius was set to win the award. There was also the belief that if Vinícius didn’t take home the prize, it should have gone to Madrid’s right-back Dani Carvajal, who scored and was named Man of the Match in the Champions League final in May and was essential in Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024.
Never Miss a Match! Download our app and keep up with daily football news and updates wherever you are.
Install App
