Bayern Star Musiala Reveals 'Absences,' a Form of Epilepsy

Bayern Munich and German national team player Jamal Musiala is currently dealing with 'absences,' a medical condition he has identified as a form of epilepsy. The term, originating from French, translates to 'absence' or 'missing,' accurately describing the brief moments the 23-year-old footballer appears to lose consciousness on the field.

Musiala experienced these sudden 'blackouts' twice within a three-day period during recent matches against RB Leipzig and 1. FC Heidenheim. He described these episodes as complete lapses in awareness that lasted for several seconds. Musiala stated that these absences have become "part of my everyday life currently."

According to the American Epilepsy Foundation, absences are a type of epileptic seizure that most commonly affects children aged 4 to 14, but can also occur in adolescents and adults. These brief seizures, typically lasting only a few seconds, are often misidentified as daydreaming or inattentiveness by observers. During an absence, a person's awareness and responsiveness are temporarily impaired; they may not react to their surroundings or external stimuli, and their eyes might roll upward.

Following a typical absence, individuals can usually resume their previous activities shortly after, often with only a minor gap in memory. The article also notes the existence of atypical absences, which may be longer, have less abrupt onsets and endings, and can sometimes involve automatic movements of the hands or mouth.