Ron-Thorben Hoffmann Remembers Joshua Kimmich at Bayern Munich
Eintracht Braunschweig goalkeeper Ron-Thorben Hoffmann recently detailed the intense standards set by Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich during their shared years at the Bundesliga club. Speaking on the Sport1 podcast Leadertalk, Hoffmann described his former teammate as a fierce competitor who continuously drove those around him.
“He is such a motivation monster,” Hoffmann said on the podcast. “He was never the tallest player, he was never somehow the fastest, he wasn’t technically the best, but he is simply a really hard worker who understood how to bring other guys along.”
Hoffmann spent several years in the Bayern Munich youth system after joining from RB Leipzig as a 16-year-old. He advanced to the professional squad in 2018 at age 19, making 55 appearances for Bayern II in the 3.Liga and Regionalliga, though he never made a competitive first-team appearance for the senior side.
Kimmich Pushes Teammates Through Direct Confrontation
According to Hoffmann, Kimmich’s leadership style involved direct confrontation that pushed teammates outside their comfort zones. The Braunschweig captain noted that Kimmich sometimes touched his colleagues’ pride, which could be very unpleasant.
“What can sometimes be very unpleasant, which I also experienced firsthand,” Hoffmann said regarding Kimmich’s demanding approach. He added that this relentless mentality is precisely what keeps players like Kimmich at the top of the game for a decade or two.
After departing Bayern Munich in 2021, Hoffmann joined English side AFC Sunderland on loan before securing a permanent transfer to Eintracht Braunschweig. He subsequently moved to FC Schalke 04 in 2024, but returned to Braunschweig just six months later. He currently serves as captain for the 2. Bundesliga club, which sits 15th in the league standings.
