Lothar Matthäus has thrown his support behind Joshua Kimmich, insisting the Bayern Munich midfielder remains a “key figure and captain” for Germany despite recent calls for him to retire from international duty.
The debate regarding Kimmich’s future follows Germany’s underwhelming round of 32 exit against Paraguay at the World Cup. Dietmar Hamann publicly urged the 31-year-old to step away from the national team after the early tournament elimination.
However, writing in his Sky Germany column, Matthäus strongly disagreed. He argued that Kimmich should continue as a central pillar of the squad as they look to rebuild following the disappointing campaign.
Future Leaders Named
Matthäus identified several players he believes should form the new leadership core alongside Kimmich. He highlighted defenders Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck, along with attacker Kai Havertz, as individuals capable of becoming “faces of the team.”
Speaking about Havertz specifically, Matthäus stated: “In attack, Kai Havertz has the quality and experience to take on a leadership role. However, we need to see which position he plays in.”
Positional Weaknesses
The 1990 World Cup winner also pinpointed specific gaps that undermined Germany’s challenge. “We didn’t have a right-back in the squad, nor did we have a true No. 9,” he said. “We also don’t have the big leaders we had when we won the [World Cup] title in 2014.”
Despite these structural deficiencies, Matthäus maintains that Kimmich’s experience is vital. The midfielder has earned 114 caps since making his debut in 2016, establishing himself as a mainstay through multiple tournament cycles.
With Germany facing a period of transition, the question now is whether the federation will follow Matthäus’s guidance to retain Kimmich as captain while addressing the urgent need for a specialist right-back and centre-forward.