Jürgen Klopp is setting the course for his new start with the DFB. The new national team coach has a clear role in mind for Bayern star Joshua Kimmich.
Under Julian Nagelsmann, Joshua Kimmich was repeatedly called upon to play right back for the German national team. With Jürgen Klopp taking office, that era is now apparently over—at least for the time being. The new national team coach has evidently made a clear decision regarding the Bayern star’s role.
As reported by Sport BILD, Klopp already had an initial face-to-face conversation with Kimmich during his visit to Säbener Straße. The discussion also touched on the 31-year-old’s athletic future with the DFB team.
According to the report, Kimmich is set to return to central midfield in the future—the very position in which he directs play for FC Bayern under Vincent Kompany.
Klopp continues to plan on Kimmich as captain
Kimmich’s standing within the team will also remain unchanged. According to information from Sport BILD, the Bayern pro is set to remain captain of the German national team for the time being. This means he is likely to play a central role in the team’s fresh start under Klopp.
An interesting, previously unknown detail regarding the 2026 World Cup has emerged. Nagelsmann is said to have already promised Kimmich during the tournament that he would return to his preferred midfield position. According to reports, the then-national team coach planned to move Kimmich back into the center of the field starting with a potential round of 16 match against France.
However, that never came to pass. Germany was eliminated in the first knockout round by Paraguay. During the tournament, there had been increasing discussion about Kimmich’s role as a right back. Philipp Lahm and Lothar Matthäus, among others, had publicly advocated for a move to midfield.
Klopp is now apparently making this move right at the start of his tenure. For Kimmich, this means that in the future—both at the club and on the national team—he’ll once again shape the game from the center of the field.