Lennart Karl may only be 1.68 meters tall, but the dribbling offensive player has regularly stood out in recent years. So much so that he has even been included in FC Bayern Munich’s squad for the 2025/26 season.
Who is this Lennart Karl, considered one of Germany’s greatest soccer talents?
Where does he come from, how did he get into soccer, how much does he earn at FC Bayern, and does he already have a girlfriend?
Lennart Karl’s birthplace, background, and career start
Lennart Karl’s home is a small village called Frammersbach. It is a state-recognized resort located between Würzburg and Aschaffenburg, in the middle of the Spessart Nature Park.
The round leather ball was his favorite toy from an early age. His parents—mom Caro and dad Steffen—quickly noticed this.
As a youth, Lennart Karl first played for Viktoria Aschaffenburg, then was discovered by Eintracht Frankfurt. After two years in Aschaffenburg (2015 to 2017), Lennart Karl’s career continued in Frankfurt. The youngster played there from 2017 to 2021.
Then came the call from FC Bayern, and “Lenny” couldn’t resist. At the age of 14, he transferred to Bayern Munich’s youth academy.
The controversial part: he was dropped by Eintracht when he announced his transfer to Bayern. To bridge the gap until the official transfer, “Lenny” returned to his home club Viktoria Aschaffenburg for six months.
Lennart Karl’s father, Steffen Aloe, said at the time about the move to Bayern: “For parents, this is of course a very big step. Nevertheless, we are incredibly proud of Lennart. It was always his dream to go to Bayern Munich. We had talks with other clubs beforehand, but Lennart knew right away that he wanted to go to FCB.”
Profile Lenanrt Karl
From the U15s onwards, Lennart Karl progressed through all of FC Bayern’s youth ranks. In the 2024/25 season, everything clicked into place. In the newly created U17 youth league, he scored 27 goals and provided 10 assists in 17 games.
A record that stands out even in Bayern’s high-class youth system. At the same time, his strong performances in the U17s earned him a place in Bayern’s U19s – at the age of 16.
In the 2025/26 season, Lennart Karl made it to the Bayern pros – and immediately set a new record:
In the Champions League, Karl made his first start in a 4-0 win against FC Bruges and scored his first goal for the pros at the age of 17 years and 242 days. This made him the youngest Champions League goalscorer in Bayern’s history and the youngest German goalscorer in the competition overall.
He also proved himself in Munich’s U19 team, scoring seven goals in nine appearances and was one of the key players on the way to the semi-finals of the German championship.
It is hardly surprising that Lennart Karl’s career has already taken off in the DFB. In 2023, he made his debut for the German U15 national team, followed by appearances in the DFB’s U16 and U17 teams.
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His skills and abilities
What sets Lennart Karl apart on the pitch? Why is he considered one of Germany’s greatest offensive talents?
“Lenni has this ability to always be dangerous in the final third,” enthuses Bayern coach Vincent Kompany.
The youngster may only be 1.69 meters tall, but what he lacks in height, his low center of gravity makes up for with tight dribbling. His two-footed technique constantly opens up new options for him in one-on-one situations.
Add to that his high speed and great game intelligence. His best move is probably cutting in from the right and curling the ball into the top corner with his left foot. Just like Arjen Robben used to do.
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Lennart Karl & Michael Ballack: What connects the two?
Behind the athlete Lennart Karl is no stranger – but a former captain of the German national soccer team: Michael Ballack. The ex-Bayern pro looks after Karl with his agency “Lucky 13.”
Ballack is considered an important mentor and companion in Karl’s development so far. Lenny himself says: “Michael was a world-class player and an absolute professional from whom I can learn a lot.”
Ballack gives him valuable tips on how to play to his strengths on the pitch while also improving his defensive work. He repeatedly emphasizes that Karl should remain authentic and stay true to his playing style.
Lennart Karl: Salary & contract at FC Bayern
Lennart Karl currently has a contract with FC Bayern until June 30, 2028. This is a so-called development contract, which will automatically convert into a full professional contract on his 18th birthday on February 26, 2026, and will then run until the end of June 2029.
How much does Lennart Karl earn at FC Bayern?
There is no official information about Lennart Karl’s salary at Bayern Munich. However, it is well known in the industry that Bayern pays its talented players very good salaries.
The best and most talented U19 teenagers are said to earn between €5,000 and €10,000 per month. Only he, his parents, and the FC Bayern accounting department know exactly how much Lennart Karl earns at FC Bayern.
With the professional contract, which takes effect on his 18th birthday, Lennart Karl’s salary is likely to skyrocket.
Taking other young players in the Bayer squad as a reference, Lennart Karl’s annual salary could reach the millions with his new Bayern contract.
Bayern youngster Tom Bischof reportedly earns around €1 million a year. Paul Wanner’s annual salary is even closer to €2 million. It is conceivable that Lennart Karl’s new salary will be in this range.
This puts him at the lower end of Bayern’s internal money ranking, which is led by Jamal Musiala with €25 million per year.
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Does Lennart Karl have a girlfriend?
Does Bayern super talent Lennart Karl have a girlfriend? This is a question that younger and female Bayern fans in particular are likely to ask themselves.
There is no official information about whether Lennart Karl has a girlfriend. His Instagram profile only features photos of him playing soccer. Not even private snapshots make it onto his social media account.
This shows that his full love and attention is currently focused solely on soccer.
Karl & Capital Bra
Lennart Karl has an (Instagram) friendship with German rap star Capital Bra, who was also at the stadium recently.
The two follow each other on the social media platform. The musician recently commented on Karl’s posts several times, including with heart emojis. The Bayern gem also marked this message with a heart.
Like Capital Bra, Karl is also a fan of luxury fashion.
