Said El Mala missed out on Julian Nagelsmann's World Cup squad, a bitter blow for the 20-year-old winger and for 1. FC Köln, but a new contract at the club soon followed and has now been rewarded with a first call-up under new head coach Jürgen Klopp.
Sport Bild reports that the timing could prove lucrative: El Mala's new Köln deal, running until 2032 with a base salary of €350,000 a year, includes escalators worth around €3 million a year in total after his first, fifth and tenth international appearances, while his senior Germany debut alone triggers a one-off bonus of €100,000.
His rapid rise has also brought a wave of commercial deals, several of which carry their own bonuses tied to a first cap. Kit supplier Nike will pay out €175,000 once El Mala plays for Germany, plus a further €120,000 for every fifth appearance after that.
Video game publisher EA Sports owes him €50,000 for his first match under Klopp, while trading card company Topps has a four-year deal worth €700,000 that increases once he debuts internationally.
Cologne's shirt sponsor Rewe, who want to make him their leading promotional face, has structured its own payments the same way.