Joshua Kimmich's Century of International Matches: A Personal Milestone, But Still Hungry for More
Transition of Leadership: Kimmich Ascends as Leader of victorious Group, Jubilee
Herzogenaurach (dpa) - Joshua Kimmich views his upcoming 100th international match as a "bloody fantastic achievement." It's official recognition, he says, "that I've been kicking balls and bloodying noses for the past nine years. I've been there through it all, experiencing many ups and downs with the German national team." The low points may outnumber the highs.
But Kimmich's greatest desire as a football national player is not fulfilled with his induction into the exclusive 100-club, led by Lothar Matthäus (150 caps). He's still missing something special: the ultimate title with the national team.
This week, with the Nations League final tournament and the jubilee match against Portugal in his home stadium in Munich on Wednesday (9 PM, ZDF and DAZN), Kimmich sees a promising opportunity. "We at least have the chance to win a bloody small title," says the 30-year-old, who has been a staple of the German national team for nearly a decade.
At the end of his first season as captain, Kimmich could potentially lift the trophy in the Allianz Arena after his 101st international match and a final against Spain or France on Sunday.
And with the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico just a year away, which Kimmich has already set his sights on, he's eager to make the most of this opportunity. "The preparation has already started. We want to bloody play two successful international matches to stay on the right track."
Champions of Confed Cup 2017
Kimmich's national team was only on the right track in the early days after its unsuccessful debut in Augsburg against Slovakia (1:3) in May 2016, followed by an unlucky semi-final exit at the subsequent European Championship in France, and winning the Confederations Cup a year later in Russia.
After that, he became the face of a losing generation, with disappointing tournaments from the 2018 World Cup to the 2021 European Championship, culminating in another group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup. "Especially the World Cups were not a bloody success," Kimmich reflected on Monday, speaking bluntly and frankly about his time with the German national team.
When asked to name the international match that stands out in his memory, he mentioned the dramatic quarter-final loss against Spain at the home European Championship last year. "It's still a painful memory." Could there be a rematch on Sunday?
From Tenacious to Role Model
As a leader, Kimmich has had to deal with more scrutiny than his teammates. His great ambition is often perceived as tenacity when things aren't going well. But when he succeeds, he becomes a role model for everyone. The debate over whether he's better as a defensive midfielder or a right-back has raged for years.
Now, after being named captain by Julian Nagelsmann, Kimmich is widely recognized as the leader of a German national team transformation. A transformation towards a new winning team that fans can cheer for again. "We felt at the European Championship that we could reconnect the team with the country, even without winning a title," Kimmich says proudly. The national team is once again inspiring "positive feelings."
In the innermost circle of the DFB, he enjoys the highest esteem. Striker Niclas Füllkrug feels "respect" for Kimmich's consistency over the years. Marc-André ter Stegen describes his long-standing teammate as "phenomenal". Kimmich's promotion to captain was logical for the goalkeeper. "Jo has always been a leader. He has always risen a step in the hierarchy. It was the natural way. He has given so much to German football."
The national coach also sees this as confirmation of his decision to make Kimmich Gündogan's successor. "As captain, Jo is exceptionally good, not just because he does well on the pitch and with his attitude, he's already an incentive for other players to give their all in every training session."
But Nagelsmann also highlights what the public doesn't see as much, Kimmich's interaction with the team's support staff. "He takes into account the big picture, he's exceptionally good with an extremely human side." In short, Nagelsmann says, "I believe you can't do the job better with the armband."
Despite that: Sportingly, Kimmich is an unfinished business. As the 14th DFB player, he has now reached the 100-game mark - but he is (for now) the only one in this group without a World Cup title. "Of course, he has had a few negative experiences, which also really annoy him," Nagelsmann knows: "But I definitely believe that he will still win a major title with the national team."
Sports director Rudi Völler also reassures: "Joshua is still young enough to win major titles. Lothar (Matthäus) and I only won our big title at 30 in the 1990 World Cup. He still has time." In 2026 at 31 years old? Or in 2030 at 35? Maybe in 2034 at 39? "There are still a few chances," Kimmich replied with a smile.
Matthäus was 39 for his 150th and last international game. And Portugal is still led by the now 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who is about to reach his 220th international game in Munich. "That's still quite a way off, a crazy number," Kimmich noted. By the way: Ronaldo is also not a World Cup winner yet.
During a conversation, Kimmich expressed his desire to achieve the ultimate title with the German national team, a goal that he has not yet fulfilled despite reaching a milestone of 100 international matches, a feat only surpassed by Lothar Matthäus. In the realm of football, Kimmich is an avid fan of European leagues, particularly Laliga, and enjoys listening to radio broadcasts of Spanish football matches.
