# Cassiano Kiala
**Cassiano Kiala** (full name Cassiano Tomas Kiala, also given as Cassiano Mpembele Kiala; born 2009 in Berlin) is a German center-back who plays for Bayern Munich and its reserve team [FC Bayern Munich II](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-bayern-munich-ii) in the Regionalliga Bayern[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870) • [2](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/cassiano-mpembele-kiala-524214). He became the second-youngest player in Bayern Munich's history when he made his [Bundesliga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundesliga) debut in December 2025, aged 16[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2009, Berlin, Germany; 186 cm, right-footed[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870) |
| Citizenship | Germany and Angola[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870) |
| Position | Centre-back; shirt number 30[4](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/player/cassiano-kiala) |
| Youth career | Hertha BSC academy to 2024, then FC Bayern München[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870) |
| First-team debut | 21 December 2025, as a substitute in a 4-0 Bundesliga win at Heidenheim; second-youngest Bayern player ever[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616) |
| Youth internationals | 18 caps for Germany: 1 for the U15s, 11 for the U16s, 6 for the U17s; captained the U17s twice[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616) |
| Honors | German championship (Bundesliga) 2025/26 with Bayern Munich[5](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/cassiano-kiala/140066) |
| Current club status | FC Bayern Munich II from 1 July 2026, contract to 30 June 2027 per Transfermarkt; Sofascore lists a contract until 30 June 2029[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870) • [6](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/cassiano-kiala/1994978) |
## Youth career and move to Bayern
Kiala came through the academy of [Hertha BSC](https://www.edgepedia.org/hertha-bsc) in Berlin and moved to FC Bayern München in 2024[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870) • [3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616). He immediately became an important part of Bayern's U17 side, making 21 appearances during the 2024/25 campaign and playing in all three matches of the Bundesliga finals tournament, where Bayern lost to Bayer Leverkusen in the last four[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616). The German FA's data center records 10 matches in the DFB-Nachwuchsliga Liga A U17 in that season[7](https://datencenter.dfb.de/datencenter/personen/cassiano-kiala/spieler).
## First-team breakthrough
In the summer of 2025, Kiala was named in head coach [Vincent Kompany](https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-kompany)'s squad for the 2025 [FIFA Club World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-club-world-cup) in the United States, where he was an unused substitute in three of Bayern's five games[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616). His Bundesliga debut followed on 21 December 2025, when he came off the bench for the final few minutes of a 4-0 win over Heidenheim at the Voith-Arena[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616). That appearance made him the second-youngest Bayern player of all time; Paul Wanner holds the record, having played against [Borussia Mönchengladbach](https://www.edgepedia.org/borussia-monchengladbach) in January 2022 at 16 years and 15 days[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616).
Bayern went on to win the 2025/26 German championship, giving Kiala a league title in his first season around the first-team squad[5](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/cassiano-kiala/140066). In August 2026 he signed a long-term contract extension with the club[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616), and he moved into the reserve team FC Bayern Munich II in the fourth-tier Regionalliga Bayern on 1 July 2026[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870). He has featured regularly for Kompany's side in pre-season[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616).
## International career
Kiala has represented Germany at youth level, with 18 caps in total: one for the U15s, 11 for the U16s, and six for the U17s[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616). He debuted for the U17s in a 2-0 win over Venezuela in September 2025 and has worn the captain's armband on two occasions[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616). Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund has said the club wants to gradually integrate him into the first team, citing his experience as Germany U17 captain[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616).
## Playing style
The Bundesliga's profile describes Kiala as strong, fast, and athletic, with a similar profile to Bayern and France center-back [Dayot Upamecano](https://www.edgepedia.org/dayot-upamecano), who formed a central defensive partnership with [Jonathan Tah](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonathan-tah) in the 2025/26 season[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616). Like Upamecano, Kiala is described as thriving in a high defensive line and in counter-pressing situations[3](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616).
## References
1. [Cassiano Kiala player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cassiano-kiala/profil/spieler/1259870)
2. [Cassiano Kiala scouting report, Field Insider](https://fieldinsider.com/scout-report/cassiano-mpembele-kiala-524214)
3. [Cassiano Kiala: Who is the centre-back who became Bayern Munich's second-youngest player ever?, Bundesliga.com, 20 August 2026](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/who-is-cassiano-kiala-bayern-munich-young-defender-germany-club-world-cup-32616)
4. [Cassiano Kiala player profile, Bundesliga.com](https://www.bundesliga.com/en/player/cassiano-kiala)
5. [Cassiano Kiala fiche joueur, L'Équipe](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/cassiano-kiala/140066)
6. [Cassiano Kiala profile, Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/cassiano-kiala/1994978)
7. [Cassiano Kiala Spielerprofil, DFB Datencenter](https://datencenter.dfb.de/datencenter/personen/cassiano-kiala/spieler)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › German footballers born 1995 onward*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license