Jamal Musiala Reveals Diagnosis of Treatable Absence Seizures
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 a pre-season friendly against FC Heidenheim on Tuesday night, a worrying repeat of the incident that halted play in Saturday’s game against RB Leipzig.
This time, he chose to address it head-on.
Musiala breaks his silence
Posting on Instagram, the 23-year-old Germany international explained the diagnosis and moved quickly to calm growing concern around him.
"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.
"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 of Musiala collapsing twice in quick succession had prompted immediate questions over why he was back on the pitch so soon. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl, speaking after the Heidenheim match, made it clear the club had been fully informed.
He said they "knew about it and we are aware of the situation," adding that Musiala himself would soon explain everything. The midfielder’s statement did exactly that.
No further health risk
Musiala stressed that, despite the dramatic nature of the episodes, doctors have assured him he can continue to play.
"Importantly, there is no further health risk involved," he said. "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 he had hoped to keep the matter out of the public eye, at least for a while longer.
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 two on-pitch collapses in four days made that impossible.
From broken leg to World Cup stage
This is not the first major hurdle in Musiala’s young career.
He suffered a broken leg last summer in Bayern’s Club World Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain, an injury that ruled him out for months and raised doubts about how quickly he would return to his explosive best.
He came back at the start of 2026 in the Bundesliga and quickly re-established himself, then carried that form into the 2026 World Cup. There, he was a key figure for Julien Nagelsmann’s Germany side, who were still stunned to be knocked out in the round of 32 by Paraguay.
Now another challenge has arrived, very different in nature but just as personal. The diagnosis is clear, the treatment path is set, and the player has made his choice: to keep playing, under close medical supervision, and to live with the condition rather than step away from the game.
For Bayern and Germany, the question is no longer whether Jamal Musiala will play again. It is how far he can still go while carrying yet another obstacle on a career that refuses to run in a straight line.
