Jamal Musiala has revealed that Brexit played a key role in his move from Chelsea to Bayern Munich.
Musiala was born in Germany and lived in the country until he was seven, when he and his family moved to England. He joined Chelsea in 2011 and was in their academy until 2019, when he left to join Bayern. Now, in a Players’ Tribune article, the 21-year-old has revealed that Brexit played a key role in his and his family’s decision to return to his homeland.
Musiala’s father is of Nigerian-British descent, while his mother is German with Polish roots. Musiala has now explained that his mother was confused as to whether she would be able to continue to work in England, and as such, they felt it was the right move to return when Bayern made them an offer.
Musiala said: “When I was 16, I was just finishing up my GCSEs, and there was a lot of uncertainty in our family. Not about football, but about life. Brexit was about to take effect in the UK, and my mum was worried about how it could affect her career as an expat working in London.
“We couldn’t really get clear answers. It was stressful. Right around that time, Bayern Munich offered us the chance to move back home. Or I should say our ‘first home’. I loved England. I felt part English, if I’m honest. It’s never an easy decision to uproot your life like that, but it really felt like fate. Something about Bayern just felt natural.”
Musiala has gone on to make 179 appearances for Bayern, scoring 52 goals and registering 35 assists. He has also won 38 caps for Germany, scoring seven goals. He will next be in action when Bayern face Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.