Concerns in Germany Over Kimmich: Müller's Former Teammate Critical
June 22, 2026 · Global
Joshua Kimmich's performance at right-back for Germany came under scrutiny after a tough match against Ivory Coast, which raised questions about his role in the national team.
Does Julian Nagelsmann need to choose a different right-back position in the knockout phase? This is one of the main questions emerging in Germany after the 2-1 win over Ivory Coast on Saturday evening. Joshua Kimmich had difficulty facing Ivorian. Kimmich has had an excellent season with Bayern München, but the 31-year-old is used in a different role in the national team than at his club. In Munich, Kimmich shone as a playmaker, while for Germany, he played the right-back role. At right-back, he struggled to deal with the pace of Yan Diomande, who easily beat Kimmich on the attack that led to Ivory Coast's first goal. Thomas Müller expressed criticism of the defense of his former colleague, with whom he played for a long time at Bayern and the national team. "When we face fast wingers, we have to act better in terms of defensive support," said Müller as an analyst at MagentaTV. "Kimmich has support from the second player, but he needs to be more defensive on the outside when there is that support. He also needs to be more aggressive in facing duels." Per Mertesacker's conclusions are also in line with Müller's opinion. The former defender analyzed on ZDF where the error lay in Germany's goal. "Kimmich left the sides open. In my opinion, he gave too much space there," said Mertesacker, who also had support from experienced coach Christian Streich. "He has support from Sané and Nmecha. If he doesn't have speed, he has to play closer to the back line." Kimmich's role in the national team has long been the subject of discussion. Nagelsmann previously stated his preference to use Kimmich as a defender, where he can advance centrally in the build-up and organize attacking play. The German national team coach did not choose a single pure right-back for this World Cup.