Joshua Kimmich expresses no interest in joining the national team's chorus.
Skipping the embarrassing singing spectacle is something Joshua Kimmich would willingly forego. "I'd rather treat the team to dinner," the newly appointed captain of the German national team joked. However, the future holds more significance to Kimmich. The 29-year-old aims to steer the previously successful DFB team towards titles again.
With the departures of World Cup winners Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos, and Thomas Müller, there isn't a single player in the squad that has previously brought glory to Germany, Kimmich noted. He intends to rectify that at the 2026 World Cup: "Moreover, my generation has no more to give."
In his new role, Kimmich is determined to push forward aggressively, but he does not view himself as the sole entertainer. "We shouldn't make this into a solo act. We have a powerful trio with Kai Havertz and Antonio Rüdiger," the successor of retired İlkay Gündoğan stated in Herzogenaurach during his first press conference after his appointment: "We need many individuals to take responsibility."
Moreover, the numerous young players require guidance. Kimmich, due to load management, had limited training sessions on Tuesday but later observed his teammates' performance with a ball in hand from the sideline. The Munich player aspires to support his teammates in the future, bridging the gap between the team and the coaching staff.
The new position fills him with pride. "Ever since a kid, you'd write in other people's friendship books that you aspire to become a national player. That's incredibly distant. For me, it's a significant accomplishment to be a national player now, let alone captain," he emphasized.
With the team, where "unfortunately, a lot has changed" due to retirements, he intends to preserve the excitement generated by the home EM: "It was crucial that we managed to move and inspire people a bit. We aim to continue doing so. Everyone is eager. This team has the potential to grow rapidly."
Kimmich (91 international matches) has led the national team onto the field seven times as captain, so the Nations League opener against Hungary on Saturday (8:45 PM CEST) in Düsseldorf will not be an entirely novel experience for him.
He will retain his EM position in the right-back position. "I hope that everyone saw at the EM that I also enjoyed playing as a right-back," said Kimmich, "and that we can finally put this topic to rest."
Legendary captain Lothar Matthäus, one of Kimmich's many predecessors in the role, prefers to see him in the center. He recommends the playmaker to play in the center rather than at the back. The extended arm of the coach should operate in the heart of the action, the record national player wrote in his Sky column. However, the decision of national coach Julian Nagelsmann is "appropriate." Kimmich will "represent our country marvelously on the field."
Kimmich continues the legacy of Bayern playmakers in the national team. These include Matthäus, Franz Beckenbauer, Neuer, or Philipp Lahm. "He carries on with his mentality. He is a role model for the entire group, always giving his all, always eager to train, always pushing the limits as a right-back at the EM," Nagelsmann praised. But he doesn't aim to establish a singing record.
The German national football team, led by captain Joshua Kimmich, is aiming to regain their former glory, with Kimmich aiming to rectify the absence of players who have previously brought titles to Germany at the 2026 World Cup. During his time as captain, Kimmich intends to support his teammates, especially the young players, bridging the gap between the team and the coaching staff.
