Thread by @iMiaSanMia

Joshua Kimmich in @WELTAMSONNTAG interview

• Toni Kroos came back to the national team shortly before the Euros and gave the team stability with his experience and quality. There has been a lot of speculation recently about a Manuel Neuer comeback. Could he give the team what Kroos did?

Kimmich: "Manu can lead any team. He's been the best goalkeeper in the world for 20 years. Ultimately, it was his decision to retire, and we all have to respect his decision. Overall, we're very well equipped in the goalkeeping position; Oliver Baumann has been excellent in recent games."

[@lars_garten, @cfbayern, @altobelli13]

• Who could form the spine of the national team besides you when everyone is fit?

Kimmich: "We have players we can rely on and who can form a stable core. Nico Schlotterbeck and Aleks Pavlović are back in the team for now. And a few more are coming, like Marc-André ter Stegen, Jamal Musiala, and Kai Havertz. And we have several players in the squad who are, or were until recently, captains of their clubs. I have big confidence in the team"

• Matthias Sammer criticized German football, including the national team. He said there was a lack of continuity, a lack of a system, a lack of a common thread. What's your take on that?

Kimmich: "I did think that immediately before and after the Euros, what made us strong is that we functioned very well as a team. We didn't always play consistently well, but we were very stable. Not in terms of a solid foundation, but in terms of the way we performed together on the pitch. We haven't reached that level recently. But to be honest, we had teams before and after the Euros with Leverkusen, Frankfurt, and also Bayern, where many players were in form and recommended themselves for the national team. We need teams like that. That might sound a bit strange as an FC Bayern player. For example, I often cross my fingers for Frankfurt or Dortmund when they play. It's important for us as a national team that they perform, as they have some players who are potential candidates for us [national team]. We Bayern players are in very good form right now, and Dortmund also seem very stable at the moment. Well-performing clubs serve as the foundation for a strong national team"

• The Kroos brothers also voiced criticism. Felix said it's never been easier to be a national team player; he felt like 3-4 good weeks were enough to get a call-up. His brother Toni added that there are hardly any top international players in Germany.

Kimmich: "Believe me, we players are very self-critical. We know when we're playing well or badly. As a team, you can't always influence the result, but you can influence the way you achieve success. We have to work on that. And as for the criticism, we have to deal with it."

• How strong is your desire to finally succeed at the World Cup?

Kimmich: "I think the World Cup title isn't really within our grasp right now, because we know we have to qualify first. Everyone has to be aware of that. I've often said that the road to a title doesn't begin with the first group game, but long before that. It's nice when everyone has the title as their goal, but we should focus on the next games for now."

• One of the most emotional moments of your career was after the group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With tears in your eyes, you said at the time that you were afraid of falling into a hole and that this debacle would forever be associated with you. Has that burden been lifted?

Kimmich: "For me, playing for Germany is the greatest joy. But when you get eliminated in a tournament, it's a bitter experience; especially because that was the second time in a row that we were eliminated in the group stage of a World Cup. Over the years, I've learned to assess things better and deal with success and failure better. As a person, I don't make my well-being so dependent on that anymore. Nevertheless, the inner drive to be successful is present everyday: in training, in matches, at a tournament. But again: first we have to qualify for the World Cup."

Kimmich on whether he contacts his Germany teammate outside of the international break: "The exchange is there. I also try to keep in touch with my teammates because ultimately, we're always a team, even if we don't see each other. It's important to me that we stay in touch. Sometimes just a message is enough, even if some might ask, "What does he want from me now?" (laughs) We may be rivals when we're at our clubs, but we need a strong sense of togetherness. Because that can be a real advantage for a team when it comes down to it."

• Have you also contacted Florian Wirtz? Things aren't going so well for him at Liverpool so far.

Kimmich: "I've contacted him. But there's absolutely no reason for him to doubt himself. Flo has the perfect blend of quality and mentality that will always lead to the top as a player in the long run. He has to stay patient and, of course, is also dependent on his team. I'm seeing again at this camp what he's capable of and how much he can rely on his strengths."

• You've had a successful few weeks with Bayern. What can the national team learn from FC Bayern?

Kimmich: "I've already mentioned what's important in terms of a team - and I believe we're on the right track. However, the comparison is a bit flawed. If, for example, Harry Kane and Michael Olise were injured, that would also change Bayern's game. That's also the case with the national team when key players are out, even if the pool of players to draw from might be bigger"

• But it's noticeable that you consistently play one system at Bayern, while the national team is much more experimental. Do you wish for more continuity there?

Kimmich: "I'm convinced and know that the coach has a good instinct when it comes to that."

• When players get injured, opportunities arise for other players. Is Serge Gnabry, who fought back after Jamal Musiala's injury, a good example of that?

Kimmich: "Absolutely. We were talking earlier about how it's supposedly never been easier to become a national team player. If I apply that to Bayern, it was never so easy to get game time before the season. When I came to Bayern at 20, there were 23 players in the squad and there were only three substitutions per game. I always had to cross the fingers that we would be 4-0 up at halftime so that I could play. (laughs) It's always worth working hard all year round. Of course, every player depends on the coach, who has to give them the chances. Serge got them, even though things didn't go so well at the beginning. But the coach continued to trust him. Now he's playing consistently very, very well."

• Gnabry's contract with Bayern expires in 2026. Would you like him to stay?

Kimmich: "Purely selfishly, I really hope so. But most of all, as a friend, I hope for him to achieve what he wants. I don't know his plans or what ideas or goals he still has. But my gut feeling tells me that now isn't the time to start thinking about what the future holds. Serge is very focused on his work, and it's a lot of fun to watch him right now."

Kimmich on the BVB game after the international break: "There's a lot at stake. We have a chance to make a statement and pull away. But fingers crossed again – despite all the competition, I'm happy that Schlotti is fit again, that Karim (Adeyemi) is playing consistently well at the moment, and that Maxi (Beier) is getting and taking his chances up front. That's good for German football"

Kimmich: "As a Bayern player two years ago, I didn't like the fact that Leverkusen and Stuttgart were so strong. But for German football, it was perfect because there were already three strong teams that Julian Nagelsmann could draw from. We also had some top players abroad, like Kroos, Rüdiger, and Gündogan. A national team thrives on having a broad selection of players, and I think we can ensure that in the long term, too. We always look to the Premier League and see what kind of money is being spent there. But why don't we use it as an opportunity in Germany and give 17-, 18-, or 19-year-old German players the chance to prove themselves at a high level in the Bundesliga by starting at an elite level? I wish the people in charge would be bolder in this regard. And I'm convinced it would pay off."

• So, as Germany captain, you now take a closer look when, for example, a player like Köln's Said El Mala causes a sensation?

Kimmich: "Yes, of course. When I notice a young player in the Bundesliga, I'll check to see if he could play for Germany. Before, I didn't care what the competition was doing. Now I see many things from a completely different perspective"