‘I’ve never even reached the knockouts’ — Germany’s Joshua Kimmich on World Cup disappointments
The FC Bayern star did not cause Germany’s collapse. But he’ll be there if they are to rise again.
BASEL, SWITZERLAND - MARCH 27: Joshua Kimmich of Germany warms up prior to the international friendly match between Switzerland and Germany at St. Jakob-Park on March 27, 2026 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images) | Getty Images Joshua Kimmich is one of the brightest stars of his generation and a key player for both Bayern Munich and the German men’s national team.
But success at a FIFA World Cup? That has more than eluded him. The 31-year-old’s entire senior international career has coincided with the dramatic decline of the former world champions.
Speaking this week ahead of Germany’s international friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana, Kimmich reflected on the bitter disappointments of the past and the optimism of the present moment. “You find ways to deal with defeats and disappointments. In football, these things are often closely intertwined,” Kimmich stated for SWR Aktuell BW, as captured by @iMiaSanMia.
“Right now, everything feels good; let’s see how things will look in four weeks. “With the national team, there were a lot of tournaments that weren’t good. I joined in 2016 – we played a very good European Championship that year and won the Confederations Cup a year later.