During a visit to a Bayern Munich fan club in Burgsinn, near Frammersbach, Karl's hometown, he was asked if he ever dreamed of playing for a club other than Bayern.

"Bayern is very strong. Playing here is a dream. But one day I definitely want to sign with Real Madrid. That's my dream team, but let's keep this a secret. Only we know this, okay?" Karl said with a laugh.

Lennart Karl celebrates Bayern's third goal in a friendly match against Tottenham at Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany on 7/8/2025. Photo: Reuters

Karl later emphasized that Bayern is "very special" and that he is enjoying his time at the club that helped him become a professional player.

Karl's casual remarks quickly spread across German and international media. The 17-year-old talent is considered a prominent young player for Bayern this season under coach Vincent Kompany. He has scored 6 goals in 21 matches across all competitions, including a record as the youngest player to score in three consecutive champions league matches.

According to Spanish newspaper Diario AS, Karl participated in Real Madrid's youth selection process in 2018, when he was just 10 years old. He passed regional training camps in Aschaffenburg, was then invited to the next round in Memmingen, and eventually had the opportunity to visit Madrid and the Bernabeu stadium. However, a deal between Karl and Real Madrid was not finalized at that time.

Karl joined the Bayern academy at 14 years old, and his contract extends until 2028. There is no information indicating Bayern is willing to let him go, nor is there any evidence that Real is currently pursuing him.

Nevertheless, Karl's comments garnered significant attention on social media. On the Reddit forum, many Bayern fans expressed disappointment. "I'll pretend I didn't hear anything," wrote user LordBendtner1988.

@themantwelve commented that Bayern would need to quickly address Karl's statements to prevent him from making similar remarks in the future. "He'll have to attend a media training course immediately," the user wrote.

Meanwhile, @NairbZaid10 remarked, "You can't say that, kid, when you've just started your career at a club."

Many other fans drew parallels between Karl's situation and Kylian Mbappe. The France captain developed at Monaco, then played for PSG but never hid his desire to play for Real. By summer 2024, Mbappe's dream became a reality after a long struggle with PSG.

"This is PSG - Mbappe version 2.0," commented user @GamefiCrusher on X. "Once a player publicly declares Real is their dream, all contract negotiations become a hostage situation. Bayern cannot trust investing in a player's development when he openly wants to leave. Sell him for over 80 million USD while Karl's value is high."

Hoang An compiled