Said El Mala's goal in Cologne's win over TSG Hoffenheim has caught the eye of Germany manager Jürgen Klopp. The 20-year-old scored the decisive goal in the 51st minute for a 3-2 home victory on the opening Bundesliga weekend.
His key strike against Hoffenheim capped a strong performance. El Mala operated on the left flank, was involved in the 1-1 equaliser, and was not deterred by saves from Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. This form has apparently convinced Jürgen Klopp. The 59-year-old national team coach intends to nominate the young player for his first squad, which will be announced on September 17. This gives El Mala the chance to debut in the September and October internationals against the Netherlands, Greece, and Serbia.
The match in Cologne was the season opener for both teams. For TSG Hoffenheim, it ended in a narrow defeat. The side coached by 38-year-old René Wagner was impressed by the opponent's quality. "Said is super clear. It's not easy to go into a duel against one, two, three players every time." Wagner said about El Mala. The player wearing the number 10 shirt had also been one of the best in the 2-1 cup win against Würzburg.
The loss in Cologne means a bumpy start to the 2026/27 season for Hoffenheim. After one match, the team sits in 12th place with zero points and is three points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The record shows two goals scored and three conceded, resulting in a negative goal difference of minus one. The next chance for correction comes on September 5 in a home match against Borussia Dortmund, who are currently fifth.
For the young attacker, the future is now settled after a long summer of transfer speculation. He is in top form and has set a milestone with his performance against Hoffenheim. His next major appointment is the potential national team call-up on September 17. The first match of that international period is on September 24 against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
