Said El Mala's Rapid Rise to Germany National Team
Said El Mala’s rise has moved fast. Now it is about to hit a new level.
According to BILD, the 20-year-old FC Cologne forward is set to be part of the DFB’s fresh start under new head coach Jurgen Klopp, named in an expanded squad for the upcoming international window. The formal paperwork had yet to land in Cologne’s offices by Tuesday afternoon, but the player has already been told: he is in.
If he steps onto the pitch, El Mala will become the first Cologne player to feature for Germany since Jonas Hector in 2019. For a club that has waited years to see its colours represented in the national side again, that matters.
Klopp breaks with the past
Klopp has wasted no time putting his stamp on the national team. He is leaning on a broader squad list for a packed autumn schedule and has chosen to back form and momentum over hierarchy and caution.
The contrast with Julian Nagelsmann is sharp. Nagelsmann gave El Mala his first senior call-up 10 months ago, only to leave him out of the matchday squads against Luxembourg and Slovakia. When the final 2026 World Cup roster came, the youngster’s name was missing entirely. The omission went down badly in Cologne, where the club had watched their emerging star wait on the sidelines, then miss the tournament altogether.
Under Klopp, the picture looks different. The path to a long-awaited debut is finally clear.
Germany face a demanding run in the UEFA Nations League, with games against the Netherlands, Greece, and Serbia. It is a testing stage on which to blood a newcomer, but also a fitting one for a forward who has spent the last year thriving under pressure.
From 3. Liga to national team
El Mala’s story has the feel of a modern fairy tale. Just 16 months ago, he was playing for Viktoria Köln in the 3. Liga. Now he is on the brink of a senior Germany cap.
His move across the city to FC Cologne transformed both player and club. Last season he dragged Cologne to safety, scoring 13 goals and becoming the focal point of their attack. Those numbers lit up scouting reports across Europe. Brighton, Brentford, and Borussia Dortmund all circled in the summer.
He stayed put.
El Mala extended his contract until 2031, a huge commitment from both sides, and took on the iconic number 10 shirt once worn by Lukas Podolski. Then he underlined the symbolism with substance, scoring on the opening day of the season against Hoffenheim. Since then his domestic form has been electric, the kind of sustained level that forces its way onto a national team whiteboard.
Klopp and his staff have clearly taken note.
One more test before the step up
Before he joins up with Germany, there is business to take care of in Cologne colours. El Mala has just shaken off a recent cold and returned with a substitute appearance in the 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen. He is expected to be back in the starting XI for Saturday’s away trip to Hamburg.
For the forward, it is the perfect staging ground. Another strong performance, another decisive moment, and he heads into the international break carrying the rhythm that first caught the DFB’s eye.
From Viktoria Köln in the third tier to the brink of a Germany debut under Jurgen Klopp in little more than a year. The question now is not whether Said El Mala belongs at this level, but how far this surge can take him.
