Malek El Mala marked his first Bundesliga appearance for 1. FC Köln with a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Union Berlin. The goal secured Köln’s first away point of the season and brought the brothers together on the pitch for a significant moment in their careers.
“I still can’t really process it, but it feels incredible – especially being on the pitch with my brother,” Malek said after the match. Saïd, already an established star at Köln, described the goal as if it had been his own. “When I score, he feels good; when he scores, I feel good,” he said.
The brothers’ close relationship has long been regarded at Köln as part of their shared development. Malek had played exclusively for the club’s second team until his Bundesliga debut, after previously being named in two senior squads without taking the field. Coach René Wagner praised his timing and ability to be in the right place at the right moment.
Their bond also played a decisive role earlier in their lives. Both were released by Borussia Mönchengladbach’s youth academy in 2021, a decision that affected Saïd particularly hard. He considered giving up football, but Malek persuaded him to continue at TSV Meerbusch. Saïd later said that without his older brother, he might have started vocational training instead.
The lower-level environment helped the pair rediscover their enjoyment of the game. Malek recalled playing on local pitches with friends after school, where they could dribble and challenge opponents one-on-one. In 2023, they moved together to third-division club Viktoria Köln before joining 1. FC Köln. A transfer ban meant they initially spent another season on loan at Viktoria.
They eventually arrived at Köln’s Geißbockheim in 2025. Malek scored ten goals in 24 regional-league appearances for the second team, while Saïd became an international player and a sought-after attacker. The brothers also shared a squad for the match against Schalke, when Saïd said he was delighted that Malek had been included and even offered to come off so his brother could play.
That substitution did not happen then, but against Union Berlin the brothers were on the field together to celebrate Malek’s goal. For Köln, the point came after an otherwise underwhelming performance, while the image of the two brothers celebrating together offered a positive moment amid continued debate over the team’s form and coaching situation.
Sources: FAZ.