- Kimmich embracing his defining role: "Avoiding solo performances"
This tiny patch of material on his left upper arm might not seem significant, but with the prestigious black-red-gold captain's band, Joshua Kimmich takes on the role of his footballing existence. Following the initial training session for the national team before the Nations League clash against Hungary on Saturday (8:45 PM/ZDF), the ambitious Bayern star, as expected, discusses sentiments like pride and honor, and naturally mentions the "extraordinary" impact that the appointment by Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann has on him. Yet, it doesn't come across as a typical professional platitude from his tongue.
Kimmich genuinely feels this. "As a kid, you fantasize about becoming a national player. You scribble it in your friend's notebook. But it's far out of reach and unbelievable," he shares under the intense spotlight on the DFB platform. "Nobody dreams of becoming captain," he adds.
Formidable forerunners as World Cup captains
And now, at the age of 30, he stands as the leading figure of the national team. Kimmich joins an illustrious list of precedents. His aim is to hold the golden World Cup trophy in his hands as the fifth German captain after Fritz Walter (1954), Franz Beckenbauer (1974), Lothar Matthäus (1990), and Philipp Lahm (2014) on July 19, 2026, in the football stadium of the New York Giants and New York Jets. "The World Cup is still far, but it's always in the back of my mind," says Kimmich.
Hailing from Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, Kimmich will lead the DFB team onto the pitch against the Euro group rival Hungary in Düsseldorf for the first time as the official captain. This duty is not unfamiliar to him, as he has previously performed it as a substitute for the permanent captain. Now, he is the successor to Ilkay Gündogan.
What kind of leader does Kimmich aspire to be? Above all, a successful one. "Especially my generation has nothing more to lose. We desire every title, every opportunity. And we wish to begin with the Nations League," he declares resolutely.
"Pillars have crumbled"
"We have no one left in the squad who has become a World Cup winner." Only a few Confederations Cup winners like him. He aims to lead the team in unison with other leaders like his deputies Antonio Rüdiger (31) and Kai Havertz (25). "Captain is not a solo act!" said Kimmich. Especially after the departure of Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, and Gündogan, "we need numerous individuals to take responsibility. Pillars have crumbled."
For Nagelsmann, the captain is "the representative of the team." One of the most crucial points of contact. A steadfast point - on and off the pitch. Kimmich, with 91 international appearances, is the most experienced player in the present squad. His promotion was anticipated and justified.
He was already one of the three captains during the Euros. Gündogan and Müller are no longer present. As a result, Kimmich became "the prominent prospect," as Nagelsmann put it: "Josh is, in the manner he performs his job as a professional footballer, a role model for the entire group. He always gives his all. He always wishes to train - often too much. He's never tired. He always wishes to win. He leads with his mentality."
To start preparations for the Hungary game, Kimmich could only partially enjoy his multifunctional role on the training field. He called it quits early on Tuesday morning, along with his Bayern teammates Aleksandar Pavlovic and the nearly fully rested Jamal Musiala. The only three remaining Bayern professionals in the DFB squad had played in the Bundesliga against Freiburg on Sunday evening and were given less intense training.
Playing further right instead of midfield: So what!
The captaincy will continue to drive Kimmich. Yet, he no longer appears as determined as before. This is noticeable in his acceptance of Nagelsmann's decision to not select him to fill the vast gap in his preferred position. In midfield, successors for Toni Kroos and Ilkay Guendogan need to be found. He is not intended to be that successor.
Kimmich remains stationed on the right in the DFB team. "I see it more as a strength that I can play both positions," he says, now more composed. "It has helped me get to where I am today." As a right-back, he "also enjoyed" the Euro 2020.
For the national coach, Kimmich is far from a peripheral figure on the right. Nagelsmann explicitly praised this: "Josh set a benchmark at the Euros. He had the finest values of all right-backs. He will continue to play that position." And perhaps crown his DFB career as captain there. At Euro 2016, he battled his way into the starting eleven as a newcomer; incidentally, also as a right-back. Kimmich rose to become the spokesperson for the promising 1995 generation - and became the face of the disappointing tournaments in 2018 (World Cup), 2021 (Euro), and 2022 (World Cup).
After the home Euro, where he felt they could have won back the fans despite the quarter-final exit, he looks to the future with a "positive feeling": "Everyone in the team is eager to play for Germany." Especially him - with a small patch of fabric on his left sleeve.
In discussing his aspirations as the national team captain, Joshua Kimmich reminisces about his childhood dreams of becoming a national player, mentioning how becoming a captain was never something he had imagined. Despite being new to the role, Kimmich aims to emulate the success of previous World Cup captains like Fritz Walter, Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Matthäus, and Philipp Lahm.
As the leader of the national team, Kimmich recognizes the importance of shared responsibility, stating that "captain is not a solo act" and that multiple individuals must take on leadership roles due to the departure of several experienced players such as Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, and Ilkay Gündogan.
