The discussions surrounding Joshua Kimmich show no signs of letting up. Following the German national team’s most recent performances, the FC Bayern midfielder has come under increasing criticism. Some experts have even questioned whether he deserves a starting spot on the DFB team. For Bayern’s sporting director, Max Eberl, however, this debate is completely baffling.
The discussions were triggered primarily by the recent Nations League matches under national team coach Jürgen Klopp. While Kimmich didn’t always impress, the German midfield—featuring Tom Bischof and Aleksandar Pavlovic—at times appeared significantly more dynamic.
This led to a debate over whether Kimmich should continue to have a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup. The focus was particularly on his style of play. Critics accused the 31-year-old of slowing down the tempo of the team’s build-up play too often.
Following Bayern Munich’s 2-2 draw at FC Augsburg, Eberl has now also taken a clear stance on the matter.
Eberl: “I find that absolutely absurd.”
The Munich club’s sporting director was downright stunned by the criticism directed at the German national team captain.
“I’ve seen that Joshua Kimmich’s qualities have been called into question. I find that absolutely absurd. He’s a leader who leads from the front,” Eberl explained following the Bundesliga match.
For the 52-year-old, there’s no question about the importance Kimmich holds both at FC Bayern and on the national team.
“To me, Kimmich is an outstanding German national team player. We should be grateful to have a player like him on our team. Bischof is also an outstanding player, as is Pavlović,” emphasized the Bayern boss.
In doing so, Eberl also made it clear that he in no way wishes to downplay the strong performances of the two younger midfielders. Rather, he sees the competitive dynamic as a strength of German soccer.
Ballack also backs Kimmich
Kimmich is also receiving support from Michael Ballack. The former DFB captain also considers the discussion surrounding the Bayern player to be overblown.
“That’s a bit too much for me. Kimmich is still an important part of the national team—he’s the captain,” Ballack explained on DAZN.
The former national team player sees the root of the debate primarily in the personnel experiments conducted by national team coach Klopp.
“This discussion really only exists because Jürgen Klopp has tested many players and others have performed well. He’ll weather this discussion,” Ballack said with conviction.
Record-holding national team player Lothar Matthäus had also recently defended Kimmich publicly, highlighting his special qualities.
At FC Bayern itself, the midfielder’s position is not up for debate anyway. Under Vincent Kompany, Kimmich remains one of the most important leaders and is a fixture in central midfield.
In the 2-2 draw against Augsburg, the 31-year-old put in a solid performance. There is currently no indication that his starting spot with the Munich club is seriously threatened.
With Eberl, Ballack, and Matthäus, several prominent figures have now come out in support of Kimmich. The message is clear: Despite emerging competition, the Bayern star remains a key player for both the club and the national team.