Klopp to Include Köln's El Mala in Germany Squad

Jürgen Klopp is preparing to stamp his mark on Germany’s future, and one of his first bold moves could be a nod to 1. FC Köln’s rising winger Said El Mala.

According to Kicker, the 20-year-old is expected to be named in Klopp’s inaugural Germany squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures, with the list due to be unveiled on Thursday. It would be a significant step for a player who has been hovering on the edge of the national setup for almost a year.

Julian Nagelsmann brought El Mala into the senior Germany camp for the first time last November, but the youngster never made it off the bench. The cap eluded him then. Under Klopp, that wait might finally end.

El Mala has started the new Bundesliga season like a player determined to force the issue. He scored in Köln’s breathless 3-2 opening-day win over Hoffenheim, flashing the kind of direct, fearless attacking play that has made him one of the most talked-about young wide men in the league.

Illness then halted his momentum, ruling him out of Köln’s heavy 4-1 loss to Stuttgart. But he was back in the squad at the weekend, coming off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen and quickly reasserting his presence in Steffen Baumgart’s attack.

His emergence is no overnight story. Last season, El Mala broke through decisively, delivering 13 goals and five assists in 34 Bundesliga appearances. Those numbers, from a young winger in a side battling at the wrong end of the table for long stretches, caught the eye across Germany.

Now they’ve caught Klopp’s.

For a Germany side searching for fresh energy and incision out wide, El Mala’s pace, end product and confidence in one‑v‑one situations make him an intriguing option. If his name is indeed on that squad list on Thursday, it will mark more than just a personal milestone.

It will be one of the first clear signals of how Klopp intends to reshape the national team.