Uli Hoeness has aimed sharp criticism at Bayern Munich starlet Lennart Karl, urging the teenager to show humility and knuckle down on his development. The Bavarian club's honorary president spoke out amid a drop in Karl's appearances following a left thigh injury, the setback that ruled him out of Germany's squad for the 2026 World Cup.
According to "Sky Sport", citing the German newspaper "Welt am Sonntag", Hoeness plans to sit the 18-year-old down for a serious conversation. He is worried that Karl is getting too much protection, and he insists young players need pressure if they are to develop and prove themselves.
Hoeness said: "I intend to have a serious conversation with him. He is a long way from being a superstar; young players need humility."
He added: "Young players also need pressure. I don't know whether it's a good thing for Lennart Karl to be given excessive protection all the time."
The criticism follows Karl's struggle to rediscover the form he showed last season, when he scored 9 goals and provided 8 assists in a Bayern shirt. Then came the blow. He hurt his left thigh in training a week before the 2026 World Cup kicked off, and the injury kept him out of the tournament with Germany.
Game time has been scarce since his return. The young winger has managed just 267 minutes across 9 matches this season, scoring a single goal as he waits to recapture the level that made him one of the most exciting prospects in the squad.
Karl first grabbed the spotlight in October 2025, becoming the youngest player to score for Bayern Munich in Champions League history at 17 years and 242 days, during the 4-0 win over Club Brugge. He also claimed the man of the match award in the game, his first start for the club in the competition.
That rapid rise sparked comparisons with Argentina's Lionel Messi and Bayern team-mate Michael Olise. Hoeness, though, dismissed the idea that such talk did Karl any good, insisting the gap between the youngster and Olise remains vast.
On a related note, German newspaper "Bild" reported concerns within the club over how focused the player really is on football. Some of that criticism centres on his frequent social media activity and his public outings with his influencer girlfriend.