Franziska Kett: Bayern Munich & Germany’s ‘explosive’ teen who ‘has something special’

Born in Bavaria, Kett would play for FC Edenstetten before moving onto her hometown club of Deggendorf. The young forward played with the boys in the Regionalliga and it was there that she was spotted by Bayern Munich.

“She was the only girl in her boys' team, quite a good boys' team, and she stood out,” Bianca Rech, the sporting director of the German giants, tells NXGN. “She's a really quick and fast player. She has something special, I would say.”

After that, it was “a very easy decision” to approach Kett to sign for Bayern, Rech says. “You could see her talent and that she had big potential to be a great player in the future.”

As a young teenager, Kett would move to Munich, attend a sports school and live in a house with other young sportspeople as she set about making her mark at Bayern, an experience which would naturally help her mature.

She was also involved with the youth national teams from a young age, starting in the U15s.

After a couple of torrid years with injuries, Kett signed her first professional contract in March 2022, four days after being included in a first-team squad for the first time in a league fixture against Hoffenheim.

She was on the bench the following week, too, for the Women's Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, but would have to wait for the start of the 2022-23 season for her senior debut - in a 3-0 win over Werder Bremen.

Marking her first senior start with a goal, in a win over Meppen in October, the 18-year-old was also included in Alexander Straus' lineup for the game against Barcelona at Camp Nou in November. It was her full debut in the Women’s Champions League.

Kett is now a fixture in this Bayern team, be it off the bench or from the start.

“Every time she comes on the pitch, she has an impact on the game and shows her quality,” Rech says, with the teenager having netted her second goal for the club in the win over Essen at the end of November.

She’s also an important player for her country, constantly a livewire for Germany’s U19s, and the feeling within the federation about her potential is a good one.

“She's ambitious but also down to earth,” Kathrin Peter, head coach of the country’s U19 and U20 teams, tells NXGN. “She's maybe the silent type and a little bit reserved when you meet her, but she knows her goals and she has a really clear mind.

“When you talk to her, you know that she has her aims and she's really ready to give her all for them. She's only 18 now and, overall, a really great person that is fun to work with.”

There’s a lot to like about Kett’s game, on both sides of the ball. Her work ethic is impressive for a young attacker, with her not shying away from her defensive responsibilities.

As for when she’s on the front foot, she’s so difficult to stop that there is a growing bank of images of defenders hanging off of her shirt, trying to find a way to halt her progress.

"She's really explosive and her dynamic is combined with outstanding technique,” Peter explains. “Some players can run fast but have problems with the ball at high speed, others have a really good technique but do not have the speed. Franzi is just comfortable on the ball even at high speed. On top of that, she can use both feet and also has great finishing skills.”

"She doesn't think too much and is strong in one-v-one situations,” Rech adds. “She fits perfectly in the system [under Straus]. She's a very dangerous player in the final third and can almost play every offensive position.”

That ability to use both feet helps to make her a versatile forward as well as a dangerous one and adds an element of unpredictability to her game that can be a big asset.

One reason why Kett is still a little under the radar as a top prospect is due to the lack of football she has played over the last couple of years.

"She suffered several injuries that slowed her down in her development,” Peter explains, “but she never stopped working and she always believed in herself. I think this time made her even stronger in her mind and she learned a lot about herself. Her development starts now.”

That has deprived her of valuable game time – but she appears to be making up for those setbacks now and has the opportunities to get even better.

"I think the next step in her development could be improving her positioning play,” Peter adds. "She’s really good at getting the ball and going directly to the goal, using her dynamism, but she can improve her overview – seeing what's going on around her, scanning her surroundings. With this she will be better in combination play and how she can create spaces and use them.”

There is one player in particular that Kett draws comparisons to, and it is one of her Bayern Munich team-mates.

Buhl has made a name for herself as one of Europe’s best young wingers and was an absolute star in Germany’s run to the final of Euro 2022.

Now, club and country have another quite like her coming through the ranks - although there are differences.

Peter is among those to point to Buhl as a similar player, before adding: “But I can't remember such a dynamic left-footed girl. I think she also has the skills to play in the centre, maybe in the midfield coming from the No.8 or No.10 position.”

Both Kett and those around her have put a lot of work into helping her get over her injury woes, and now the rewards are certainly being reaped, even if that work isn’t done yet.

"We want to be careful with her,” Rech explains. “She is a young player and we have the responsibility to lead her development in the right way. I'm 100 percent sure she will make her way - but one step after the other.”

How the talented teen has been, and continues to be, introduced to the first team at a steady pace supports that approach. Now, it’s about her remaining on that path and becoming more and more influential in her performances.

The quality of the environment and players around Kett will only help her improve, too, with so many senior footballers in Bayern's squad who have played and won trophies at the highest level.

“Any given minutes help her, of course,” Peter says. “She's in a really high performing environment there and this always pushes her to the limits.

"She already reached a certain standing in the team but I think when she stays healthy, she will take the next steps by being in this great team, always training and playing at the top level.

“She hasn't reached her full potential yet, especially with all these injuries. She was out for nearly two years, not playing football. I really hope that she will stay healthy now and start new progress.

“She's got what it takes to reach the highest level and I really hope that she can make her next steps soon.”