Cassiano Kiala

Last updated
Cassiano Kiala
Personal information
Full name Cassiano Tomas Kiala
Date of birth (2009-01-11) 11 January 2009 (age 16)
Place of birth Germany
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) [1]
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
Bayern Munich
Number 30
Youth career
–2024 Hertha BSC
2024– Bayern Munich
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2025– Bayern Munich 1 (0)
2025– Bayern Munich II 2 (0)
International career
2024 Germany U15 1 (0)
2024– Germany U16 11 (0)
2025– Germany U17 4 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:23, 21 December 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 11 October 2025

Cassiano Tomas Kiala (born 11 January 2009) is a German professional footballer who plays as a defender for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich.

Contents

Early life

Kiala was born on 11 January 2009, in Germany. He is of Angolan descent through his parents. [2]

Club career

As a youth player, Kiala joined the youth academy of Hertha BSC. Following his stint there, he joined the youth academy of Bundesliga side Bayern Munich during the summer of 2024. [3]

He was one of the players that were called up by Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany, for the 2025 pre-season matches against French Ligue 1 club Lyon, English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and Swiss Super League club Grasshopper, on 2, 7, and 12 August 2025, respectively. [4] [5]

Kiala made his professional debut with Bayern Munich II on 23 August 2025, starting for a 2–2 home draw Regionalliga Bayern match against SpVgg Bayreuth. [6]

He received his first call-up with the Bayern Munich senior team for the first UEFA Champions League league phase match against English Premier League club Chelsea on 17 September 2025, which Bayern Munich won 3–1 at home, however Kiala was an unused substitute. [7]

On December 2025, English Premier League clubs showed interest in recruiting him, along with Bayern Munich's own interest in extending Kiala's contract with the club. [8] He made his debut with the Bayern Munich senior team on December 21, substituting Dayot Upamecano at the second half of a 4–0 away win Bundesliga match against 1. FC Heidenheim, simultaneously becoming the second youngest debutant for Bayern Munich at 16 years and 344 days old, behind only Paul Wanner who debuted with the club being 16 years and 15 days old in 2022. [9] [10]

Kiala was called up as a starter for the 5–0 win friendly match against Austrian Bundesliga club Red Bull Salzburg on 6 January 2026. [11]

International career

Kiala is a Germany youth international. Eligible to represent Angola internationally through his parents, he captained the Germany national under-16 team. [12]

Career statistics

As of match played 21 December 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bayern Munich 2024–25 Bundesliga 00000000
2025–26 1000000010
Total1000000010
Bayern Munich II 2025–26 Regionalliga Bayern 200020
Total200020
Career Total3000000030
Notes

    Style of play

    Kiala plays as a defender and is right-footed. German newspaper Kreiszeitung  [ de ] wrote in 2025 that he "has impressed with... his speed, and his technical proficiency". [13]

    References

    1. "Cassiano Tomas Kiala". Bundesliga . Retrieved 30 August 2025.
    2. "Who is Cassiano Kiala? The Angolan prodigy at Bayern Munich". Foot Africa. 6 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
    3. FC Bayern Munich [@fcbayerncampus] (7 July 2024). "Herzlich willkommen in München, Cassiano! Der Innenverteidiger Cassiano #Kiala wechselt aus der Akademie von Hertha BSC an den #FCBayernCampus" (Tweet) (in German). Retrieved 7 July 2024 via Twitter.
    4. "Match report FC Bayern - Olympique Lyon (Friendly)". FC Bayern Munich. 2 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
    5. "FC Bayern vs. Hotspur - Telekom Cup 25/26". FC Bayern Munich. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
    6. "Zwei Heim-Treffer reichen Bayreuth nicht: Heindl rettet Bayern II ein Remis" (in German). Kicker. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
    7. "Bayern München 3–1 Chelsea". UEFA. 17 September 2025.
    8. Fabrizio Romano [@FabrizioRomano] (December 15, 2025). "🚨🔴⚪️ Understand FC Bayern are in advanced talks with talented 16 year old Cassiano Kiala over new long term contract. Negotiations well underway over new deal as FC Bayern sent their proposal in the recent weeks and confident to avoid any hijacks from Premier League clubs" (Tweet) via Twitter.
    9. "Cassiano Kiala follows in Paul Wanner's footsteps, becoming the second youngest player to appear for Bayern Munich". Bundesliga. 21 December 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
    10. "Stanisic legt vor und trifft - Zwei Bayern-Youngster debütieren in Heidenheim". kicker.de (in German). 21 December 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
    11. "Match news: Salzburg v FC Bayern - friendly 25/26". FC Bayern Munich. 6 January 2026.
    12. "Wer ist Kiala?" [Who is Kiala?] (in German). Bild. 27 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
    13. "Unbekanntes Bayern-Juwel (16) saß im DFB-Pokal unerwartet auf der Bank" [Unknown Bayern jewel (16) unexpectedly sat on the bench in the DFB Cup] (in German). Kreiszeitung  [ de ]. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.