Captain Joshua Kimmich is leaving the German national team following a 0-1 Nations League loss to Greece in Augsburg. The departure comes as new head coach Jürgen Klopp implements a planned rotation of the squad after the team’s initial matches in the competition.
Klopp is nearly completely replacing his roster after the first two Nations League games, granting Kimmich a scheduled break. Kimmich expressed disappointment regarding the move, stating, I had hoped to stay until the very end and would of course have liked to stay
, though he added that he understands the coach’s desire to get to know other boys
as part of the planned rotation of a large squad.
Upcoming Absences and Roster Changes
As a result of the rotation, Kimmich will miss the upcoming match against Serbia in Munich on Thursday, as well as the return fixture in Greece on October 4. While he noted he would be rooting for the team from home, he remained undecided on whether he would attend the match against Serbia in person.
The shift in the squad follows a period where Germany earned only one point from two games. Klopp has found alternatives for the right-back position in a back four, noting that Josha Vagnoman and Philipp Treu performed “decently” and “well,” respectively, in that role.
Future Role in the DFB-Team
Despite his current absence, Kimmich is expected to return to the team in November. Klopp has previously emphasized that the coaching staff views Kimmich as a midfielder, stating that there has not been a single conversation in which they discussed him as a right-back.
Speaking from the catacombs of the Augsburg Arena, Kimmich remained optimistic about the team’s trajectory, promising that we will get better
.
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