Joshua Kimmich in an interview about the captain’s armband and the DFB team ahead of EM 2024

The DFB has announced that this Saturday (8.45 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the national soccer team and on ZDF) you will wear a captain’s armband in classic black, red and gold. Was that your wish too?

There was a conversation with the president, with Rudi Völler, the coach and me, and we decided together that we wanted to wear the black, red and gold armband.

Was there another discussion about this or other opinions?

No. I think now is the time to focus completely on the sport. This is also not in conflict with the values ​​that we represent. Accordingly, the discussion is now ticked off.

But it was a complicated situation after all: there was nothing they could do without sending a signal. Every bandage is now a statement.

A captain’s armband used to be there to show who the captain was and I think that’s the way it should be now. As far as concrete political signs and discussions are concerned, it is primarily our President who has to fill the role and should speak out. We players would do well to focus on our task. We are here to perform and win games. But once again: At the same time, this says nothing about our attitude. Whether we’re wearing a black, red and gold captain’s armband or one in the colors of the rainbow: we’ve often spoken out about the values ​​we stand for and have shown our attitude accordingly.

In Qatar you said it was a shame not to be able to look forward to a World Cup. How does it feel with a little distance? Was it not just a lost World Cup, but one that you personally lost? You don’t have that many players. Or do you see a point in hindsight?

At the end of the day, the World Cup was a big political issue that shouldn’t have affected us players so much. I am of the opinion that, in principle, this should be more a matter for the association and politics. The balance between football and political issues was not right. If we had won the games, maybe we would talk differently today. But it is also clear that we were not kicked out because of the debate about the bandage.

Not because of the armband as such, but then when the first game was lost there was a problem.

But that had nothing to do with the bandage. Of course, many are now saying: Did they absolutely have to set an example? But that certainly didn’t affect us in the 90 minutes against Japan.

When you look ahead as a captain and leading player: what is the most important thing now so that the European Championships at home will be a success in the summer after next?

The preparation begins now. For me, the upcoming games are not friendlies and certainly not friendlies. For me, these are really preparatory games that we should and must take very, very seriously. We should also use it to work out automatisms and find a rhythm so that a team strengthens and processes develop. Other countries have set the best example for us, Italy before Euro 2020 or now Argentina, which was unbeaten for more than 30 games before the World Cup.