Germany travelled to Russia as holders four years ago, but shockingly exited in the group stage. It wasn’t exactly the World Cup debut that Joshua Kimmich had dreamed of, but the Bayern Munich star is now 27 and determined to help his country go for glory once more this time around...
Words Andrew Murray
What had you done with your life by the time you’d turned 27? Whatever it was, it’s unlikely to have had less material impact on society than the vertiginous art of putting one word in front of another, so you’re already one rung further up the ladder than FourFourTwo.
If you’re Joshua Kimmich, however, you’re seven games away from completing the set. This month, Germany’s midfield metronome heads to Qatar desperate to lift the trophy that would mean more than any other in a glittering career comprising seven straight Bundesliga titles, three German Cups and the Champions League. A reminder, he’s 27.
For all that domination with the domestic juggernaut that is Bayern Munich, Kimmich is yet to win a major trophy with his country, assuming you’re not counting the 2017 Confederations Cup. Barely out of footballing nappies when Germany were crowned world champions for a fourth time in 2014, having just completed his first professional season with third-tier RB Leipzig as an inexperienced 19-year-old, Kimmich approaches this World Cup as a 70-cap veteran who’s suffered more than most with the national team.
Germany haven’t won a knockout game at a major tournament since reaching the Euro 2016 semi-finals, falling to England in the last 16 at Euro 2020 and not even making it out of the group when defending their world title at Russia 2018. Kimmich was used at right-back by Joachim Löw four years ago, but is now the central midfield heart of a much-changed Germany squad that he captained in a dramatic 3-3 Nations League draw at Wembley in September.
Over the course of his chat with FFT, he is highly engaging company as he recounts his increasing leadership role and reveals what makes the World Cup so special, but first he wants – no, needs – to talk about four years ago and what happened in Russia…
Have you finally recovered from the huge disappointment of Russia 2018?
[Sighs] It was very difficult. The expectation in Germany is always high because we have a lot of quality, but we haven’t played well in tournaments and it wasn’t just the last World Cup, but the Euros last summer too. Dealing with the aftereffects is hard – I found it really tough to get over the last World Cup, thinking about the disappointment we had brought people – but we have a different te
