News Focus
- World Cup winner Philipp Lahm backs Joshua Kimmich for a central midfield role
- Former captain suggests Waldemar Anton should fill the right-back position instead
- Lahm warns against disrupting Germany’s defensive spine by moving Kimmich
- Proposal draws parallels with 2014 World Cup tactics using centre-backs in wide areas
Philipp Lahm has urged Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann to retain Joshua Kimmich in the centre of the park for this summer’s international matches. The 2014 World Cup-winning captain believes shifting the Bayern Munich midfielder to right-back would weaken the team’s core structure.
Speaking to Sport BILD, Lahm pointed to Kimmich’s performances alongside Aleksandar Pavlović throughout the club season. The duo helped Bayern reach the Champions League semi-finals, where they suffered a narrow defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Lahm insists that Kimmich has consistently delivered top displays in midfield and should remain there for the national side.
“I would not break up the backbone formed by Neuer, Tah and Kimmich by shifting him to right-back,” explained the 42-year-old. “That is why I would field him in the middle.”
To address the vacancy at right-back, Lahm has offered a surprise solution. He has recommended Borussia Dortmund defender Waldemar Anton for the role. The former full-back referenced Germany’s successful 2014 World Cup campaign, when they occasionally deployed centre-backs in the wide defensive positions.
Lahm noted that Anton’s defensive mindset would complement David Raum’s attacking threat on the opposite flank. “On the left we have David Raum, who plays in an offensive manner. With Anton, who is more defensive-minded, you would achieve balance between attacking thrust on one side and defensive solidity on the other,” he stated.
This view aligns with criticism from another Bayern Munich figure. Club honorary president Uli Hoeneß has also publicly questioned Nagelsmann’s plans regarding the 31-year-old’s position in the squad.