Jamal Musiala Addresses Absence Seizures Diagnosis
Jamal Musiala has revealed he is living with treatable absence seizures after collapsing on the pitch for the second time in four days, but insists there is no long-term threat to his health or his career.
The Bayern Munich midfielder went down just eight minutes after coming on as a substitute in Tuesday night’s friendly against FC Heidenheim, echoing a similar scare in Saturday’s match against RB Leipzig. Both incidents sparked immediate concern around one of Germany’s brightest talents.
This time, Musiala chose to speak.
Musiala explains diagnosis
On Wednesday, the 23-year-old addressed the situation directly, using his own platform to spell out what is happening rather than let speculation grow.
"I understand that many of you are worried. I would like to put those concerns to rest today and explain the situation: I have been diagnosed with brief, temporary -- but treatable -- absence seizures resulting from a neurological dysfunction," he wrote on Instagram.
"These can lead to the kind of incidents seen recently, such as during the match against Leipzig or the game in Heidenheim.
"I know they might look alarming at first glance, but for me, they are currently part of my everyday life. I am receiving excellent medical care and remain very optimistic. FC Bayern and my personal support network are right by my side, helping me through this."
The images from both friendlies were stark: Musiala suddenly dropping to the turf, medical staff rushing on, teammates looking on anxiously. The fear, naturally, was of something far more serious.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl confirmed after the Heidenheim game that the club had been fully informed before Musiala stepped back onto the pitch.
He said the midfielder would speak publicly soon and stressed: "We knew about it and we are aware of the situation."
‘No further health risk’
Musiala has been clear that, while the episodes are dramatic to watch, he has been told they do not pose a deeper danger.
"Importantly, there is no further health risk involved," he wrote. "In close consultation and regular contact with the experts, it was my personal wish to face this challenge; with the medical clearance of the neurologists, I want to continue doing what helps my recovery most: simply living my life and pursuing my passion for playing football.
"I have taken full responsibility for this decision. Overall, I feel very positive and am on the right track."
He also admitted this was not a story he ever wanted to share publicly.
Musiala said it had been his "wish to keep this matter private, sharing it only with my closest circle, the club, and the medical experts." The repeated on-pitch incidents, and the growing unease around them, left him with little choice but to go public.
From broken leg to World Cup stage
This is not the first major hurdle Musiala has faced in the past year.
He broke his leg last summer in Bayern’s Club World Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain, an injury that cut short his season and raised doubts about his timeline for a return. He fought his way back to fitness in time to rejoin Bayern at the start of the 2026 Bundesliga campaign.
From there, he accelerated again. Musiala became a key figure for Germany at the 2026 World Cup, driving Julien Nagelsmann’s side through the group stage before their shock exit in the round of 32 against Paraguay.
Now comes another challenge, very different in nature but just as personal.
The midfielder has made it clear he intends to keep playing, with the backing of neurologists and Bayern’s medical staff, and to live as normally as possible with a condition he describes as “brief, temporary — but treatable.”
The question now is not whether Jamal Musiala will step back onto the pitch. It’s how far he can go while turning another setback into fuel for the next phase of his career.
