The debate surrounding Joshua Kimmich and his role on the German national team shows no signs of abating. After Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tom Bischof recently impressed in central midfield, there is now discussion about how untouchable the captain will remain under Jürgen Klopp going forward.
Now, two former DFB captains—Oliver Kahn and Michael Ballack—have weighed in on the debate. Both continue to view Kimmich as an important part of the national team. At the same time, they do see areas that are open to discussion.
“Klopp left him out for these two games to see how the team functions without him,” Ballack explained on Sunday on RTL. Kimmich himself would have liked to remain on the second DFB squad, but Klopp deliberately opted for an almost complete overhaul.
Ballack believes Kimmich is stronger as a right back
For Ballack, this decision isn’t a fundamental signal against the Bayern player. “It doesn’t weaken him,” the former national team player emphasized, adding, “I also don’t see anyone who could replace him right now.”
Klopp is currently testing his options. “He’s taking a two-pronged approach, and I think that’s perfectly fine,” Ballack explained. The current debate about Kimmich therefore comes “at the wrong time” for him.
Things got interesting, however, when the question turned to Kimmich’s position. When asked whether he considered the 31-year-old a world-class defensive midfielder, Ballack didn’t commit to a specific answer. Instead, he pointed to Kimmich’s past as a right back.
Ballack actually rates the Bayern star even higher in that role: “With all his qualities, that’s how he made his name. To me, he was world-class there.”
In doing so, the former DFB captain touches on a point that has accompanied Kimmich throughout much of his career: Where can he best utilize his strengths?
Kahn: “That’s what makes his job particularly difficult.”
Oliver Kahn also doesn’t automatically view Kimmich as untouchable under the new national team coach. After a coaching change, the hierarchies would first have to be reestablished. “Everyone needs to feel like they have to earn their status,” explained the former Bayern boss.
Kahn also sees a fundamental problem with Kimmich’s role as a leader. The midfielder has “had the misfortune of playing on national teams that weren’t particularly successful.”
That is precisely what complicates his position as captain. “For a leader like Joshua, it’s important that the others look up to him. And he lacks those successes. That makes his job particularly difficult. You have to ask yourself: Is this the best solution?” said Kahn.
Lothar Matthäus also does not view Kimmich’s starting spot as guaranteed regardless of his performance. The record-holding national team player explained that Kimmich is “naturally a starter if he delivers.” However, if a competitor in his position performs better, “Kimmich will have a hard time.”
With Pavlovic and Bischof, it’s ironically two of his Bayern teammates who have recently made a case for more playing time. Klopp himself, however, doesn’t want to turn this into a fundamental debate. He recently reacted with irritation to the repeated questions about Kimmich: “I give up. Do whatever you want.”
The discussion is unlikely to end there, though. It is precisely the strong performances of these young midfielders that are causing Kimmich’s role with the DFB to be scrutinized more intensely than it has been in a long time.