Said El Mala Returns to Germany U21 Team Amid National Team Dynamics

The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports that Said El Mala, a recent call-up to the German national football team, will be returning to the U21 squad this weekend. During a DFB press conference on Thursday, national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann noted that the 19-year-old had made a “good impression” during training. However, El Mala did not play in Germany’s 2-0 victory over Luxembourg on Friday night.

El Mala’s commendable performances with the U21s during the October international break led to his first senior team call-up. However, he enters the November international break following a lackluster display for his Bundesliga club.

It will be intriguing to understand the rationale behind El Mala’s reassignment, as no further information has been provided at this time.

Antonio Di Salvo’s U21 team, buoyed by strong performances including a brace from Bayern Munich standout Lennart Karl and a hat trick from fellow teammate Tom Bischof, does not appear to need reinforcements. Meanwhile, Nagelsmann’s senior team displayed weaknesses in their attacking strategy, particularly on the left flank where El Mala would have played.

Nevertheless, it is generally assumed that El Mala’s transition back to the U21s is not indicative of a demotion. A similar scenario occurred last summer when Nick Woltemade also returned to the U21s from the DFB camp to assist the juniors in their preparation for the 2025 UEFA European Championship campaign.