By Rune Gjerulff@runegjerulff

FC Köln wonderkid Said El Mala reveals why he turned down Borussia Dortmund

Said El Mala has revealed why he opted to join 1. FC Köln instead of Borussia Dortmund when he was younger.
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Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Borussia Dortmund made a strong push to sign 1. FC Köln wonderkid Said El Mala in 2024, when he was playing for Viktoria Köln.

However, the 19-year-old turned down Dortmund because, unlike FC Köln, the Black and Yellows only wanted to sign him and not his older brother Malek.

"Then it was off the table for me," Said El Mala underlined in an interview with 11 Freunde.

While Said has broken into Köln’s first team and was even called up to Germany’s senior national team earlier this year, Malek is playing for the club’s reserves. The 20-year-old striker has scored five goals in 11 Regionalliga West appearances this season.

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