Just six years ago Jamal Musiala was playing football with his classmates at a school in Croydon. 

Today (November 27), he'll most likely be lining up for Germany in their crucial World Cup group game against Spain.  

The 19-year-old has come a long way since his days at the Whitgift School in South Croydon, along the way signing for German giants Bayern Munich and becoming their youngest ever goalscorer in the Champions League. 

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Born in Germany, Muisala moved to the UK at seven years of age, knowing very little English where he began his football journey. 

Within the first year of arriving in the UK he joined the Southampton youth academy, before joining the Chelsea academy in London. 

His secondary education years were spent at the independent Whigift School after he was awarded a scholarship to study there. 

A spokesperson for Whitgift school said: "Whitgift is extremely proud of Jamal not only for his footballing achievements to date but for the determination and character he shows when overcoming challenges presented to him. 

"He certainly is a wonderful role model for our current students demonstrating anything can be achieved with a selfless and diligent approach." 

The all-boys school is reputable for its connection with sports stars and lists former Chelsea and Crystal Palace star Victor Moses and England international rugby player Danny Cipriani among its alumni. 

Musiala attended Whigift for three years before leaving to join Chelsea academy’s fulltime programme, before returning to Germany to join Bayern Munich.

The school’s director of football, Andrew Martin, said: “Jamal was a very quiet, polite and well-mannered pupil who came to life on the football pitch, becoming a standout performer as well as role model for his teammates and classmates.”

“In his three years at the school, Jamal amassed 122 goals and played in four National Finals, winning three of them. Jamal loved playing for the school and rarely, if ever, missed a training session, let alone a match.” 

Being of Nigerian heritage on his father’s side and after living in England, Musiala had the choice to represent any of the three teams at international level.  

Ultimately, he decided to represent his first home - Germany - and goes into the World Cup with many touting him to be one of its breakout stars.