Germany captain Joshua Kimmich has dismissed speculation regarding his international future, confirming he will not retire from national team duty following the country’s World Cup elimination by Paraguay.
The 31-year-old midfielder converted his penalty during Monday’s decisive shootout, but his successful spot-kick proved insufficient to prevent another premature tournament exit. Kimmich, who also represented Germany during their group-stage failures at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, insists he remains committed to ending the nation’s trophy drought despite this latest setback.
A vow to continue
Speaking to MagentaTV after the match, Kimmich delivered a defiant message regarding his international career. “What I will never do is give up,” he stated, emphasising his determination to continue representing Germany. The midfielder recalled watching the national team compete in semifinals and finals during his childhood, expressing a desire to provide similar moments for the current generation of supporters. “The fact is, we weren’t able to give the people back home that,” he acknowledged.
Collective responsibility
Kimmich argued that every member of the squad must accept blame for the latest setback rather than seeking individual excuses. “We have to take responsibility – no one can distance themselves from it,” he told MagentaTV. “We have to own it, because we, the players who were on the pitch, are the ones who messed it up.”
He noted that international success would benefit the country significantly during the current period, commenting: “It’s a real shame, especially at a time when it would do us so much good to have something in Germany we can be proud of. Unfortunately, the national team isn’t that right now, and we all share responsibility for it.”
Germany’s defeat to Paraguay marks their third consecutive disappointing World Cup campaign, following group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022. At 31, Kimmich likely retains the opportunity to feature in future major tournaments, and his decision to continue offers continuity as the team begins rebuilding for the next international cycle.