Said El Mala's Rapid Ascent to Germany National Team Under Klopp

Said El Mala’s rise has moved so fast that the paperwork is struggling to keep up.

According to BILD, the 20-year-old FC Cologne forward has been told he will be part of Jurgen Klopp’s first Germany squad for the upcoming international window, even though the formal notification had still not landed in the club offices by Tuesday afternoon. Once the documents arrive, he will stand on the brink of becoming the first Cologne player to feature for the national team since Jonas Hector in 2019.

For Klopp, it is an early statement. An expanded squad, a fresh hierarchy, and a clear nod to form over reputation as Germany head into a packed autumn in the UEFA Nations League, with games against the Netherlands, Greece, and Serbia looming.

Klopp breaks with Nagelsmann’s caution

The move also draws a sharp line under the previous regime. Julian Nagelsmann did call El Mala into the senior setup 10 months ago, but never let him cross the white line. The youngster watched from the sidelines against Luxembourg and Slovakia, then saw his name cut from the final 2026 World Cup squad. At Cologne, that snub stung.

Now the door has been kicked open. Under Klopp, El Mala finally has a realistic route to his long-awaited debut, his performances no longer just a talking point in the Bundesliga but a ticket to the international stage.

From 3. Liga to the DFB in 16 months

The speed of his ascent is staggering. Just 16 months ago, El Mala was playing for Viktoria Köln in the 3. Liga. No fanfare, no headlines, just a promising attacker learning the trade in Germany’s third tier.

Then came the explosion.

Last season he dragged FC Cologne to safety with 13 league goals, turning a relegation battle into a personal showcase. Scouts flocked. Brighton, Brentford, and Borussia Dortmund all circled in the summer, sensing value before the rest of Europe caught on.

El Mala chose differently. He stayed. Cologne tied him down until 2031, handed him the iconic number 10 shirt once worn by Lukas Podolski, and watched him respond in the most convincing way possible: a goal on the opening day against Hoffenheim.

Those numbers and that impact have clearly resonated with Klopp’s new staff. This is not a token inclusion. It is a reward for a body of work that has grown impossible to ignore.

One more stop before the national stage

Before he pulls on the Germany shirt, there is business to finish in Cologne colours. Having shaken off a recent cold, El Mala returned with a substitute appearance in the 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen and is expected to start in Saturday’s away trip to Hamburg.

For the forward, it is the perfect dress rehearsal. Another sharp performance, another goal, and he will head into the national team camp not as a wide-eyed newcomer, but as one of the Bundesliga’s form attackers.

From 3. Liga hopeful to potential Germany debutant under Jurgen Klopp in barely a year and a half. The question now is simple: how much further, and how fast, can this story run?