Jonathan Tah will replace Joshua Kimmich, who is missing due to injury, as captain of the German national soccer team. That’s what national coach Julian Nagelsmann said at the press conference before the World Cup qualifier in Luxembourg on Friday (8:45 p.m./live ticker on sportschau.de).
Even without his captain Joshua Kimmich and the defensive pillar Nico Schlotterbeck, Julian Nagelsmann is not backing down from his plan. Frustration or discomfort? No, in Luxembourg the national coach wants to confidently achieve the mandatory victory for the direct World Cup ticket on Friday (live in the audio stream on sportschau.de from 8:45 p.m.). And so after the national football team arrived in the Grand Duchy there was still a little time for fun and surprises.
Nagelsmann about Tah: “Very good season”
Jonathan Tah received the news via a press conference that he would lead the DFB team as captain for the first time as Kimmich’s replacement. “I don’t know if he knows it yet – but now he knows it”said Nagelsmann at the evening meeting at the Stade de Luxembourg and grinned. The Munich defender earned the black, red and gold armband through his performances and his appearance in the 42nd international match.
“We named a team council before the Nations League – there aren’t that many left. Jona is the one who plays. He also deserves it because of his performance and also because of his position. He has stabilized very well and is playing a very good season.”said Nagelsmann about the 29-year-old from Hamburg, who moved from Bayer Leverkusen to FC Bayern this summer. “He deserves it”said Nagelsmann.
Tah is placed in central defense under the national coach and will play his 42nd international match in Luxembourg. In addition to Kimmich, his two deputies Antonio Rüdiger and Kai Havertz are also currently injured. In addition to the trio and Tah, the team council also includes Marc-André ter Stegen, Niclas Füllkrug and Pascal Groß.
Baku in the starting line-up
In the right-back position, Kimmich will be represented by RB Leipzig’s Ridle Baku. “He did very well in the last course and is a regular at RB,” said Nagelsmann. Baku is “totally unchallenged” in the club.
The national coach did not want to decide who would be the second central defender alongside Tah instead of Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck. Schlotterbeck’s club colleague Waldemar Anton and Malick Thiaw from Newcastle United are possible candidates. “There is a trend, but I won’t reveal it yet”said Nagelsmann, who is hoping for both Kimmich and Schlotterbeck to return on Monday against Slovakia.
Kimmich asked for advice
This clarified all questions regarding representation. And Kimmich’s absence due to the damaged capsule in his right ankle has just been dealt with. As an emotional leader, the 30-year-old is present in Luxembourg anyway. “Of course he’s missing, but he’s still there“, said the national coach. Kimmich, who flew with us to Luxembourg, will simply coach along in a certain way.
Kimmich had previously greeted him from the hospital bed in a social media message. “Unfortunately, it’s my job for now. I’ll do everything I can to be back on the pitch on Monday“, he wrote on Instagram. In the photo, his facial expressions with defiantly pressed lips spoke volumes.
The plan has long been set for the penultimate group game in the World Cup qualification with the underdog: “Let’s cast off, a little more risk!” This was Nagelsmann’s motto for the penultimate step towards a direct World Cup ticket against the pointless bottom of the group, Luxembourg. In other words: goals, goals, goals. For the first time, Nagelsmann has a four-game winning streak as national coach.
With a big win, the starting position for the showdown against Slovakia on Monday (live in the audio stream on sportschau.de from 8:45 p.m.) can be further improved. If everything goes according to plan in Luxembourg, a draw in Leipzig will be enough for first place and direct participation in the World Cup. And then, if possible, Kimmich and Schlotterbeck should also be there again.
First outage since October 2023
However, a look at Nagelsmann’s DFB chronicle shows the significance of Kimmich’s loss. The Munich player has been there for 25 games since November 2023. He was only missing from the national coach’s debut in October 2023. With an infection, he had to travel home from the USA before the test double pack.
With Nagelsmann, the following applies: Kimmich always plays (if possible), whether as a six or, as recently, as a right full-back. Baku from RB Leipzig can now recommend themselves for a World Cup commitment. Luxembourg’s coach Jeff Strasser was also unimpressed by the opponent’s loss: “An almost equal player will replace him” he said.
Tah in the team council
The question of who would take over the captaincy from Kimmich was more exciting because it was more symbolic. The deputies Antonio Rüdiger and Kai Havertz are not part of the current squad after injuries. Team councilors Marc-André ter Stegen, Niclas Füllkrug and Pascal Groß are also missing. Tah is the only one from the committee who is present and was therefore awarded the contract.
According to an old DFB rule, Leroy Sané should have moved up, as he has 70 international matches, the most behind Kimmich (105). “I didn’t make this rule“, said the national coach and thus also justified the rejection of Sané. The 29-year-old from Galatasaray Istanbul was only brought back into the squad by Nagelsmann after a time out as a probationary measure.
Nagelsmann explained his unusual public scolding on Monday (“He doesn’t have many chances anymore”) again. The tenor: Everything is not that bad. Sané was informed in advance about the choice of words. And the former Munich resident has already heard from him “enough love until it pops” got. Matthias Sammer chose this choice of words in a criticism of Nagelsmann about the way Sané was treated at Sky.
Bayern block becomes a quartet
Due to Kimmich’s failure, the all-important Bayern quintet will also be disbanded. In Tah, Goretzka, Gnabry and Aleksandar Pavlovic, four Munich players remain as the DFB’s core. With their outstanding club form, they should get the DFB engine going – a white and blue football blueprint, so to speak.
“I’ve already said that as a national coach I’m naturally very dependent on the club. So there’s no point in having a good imagination and inviting players who are all on the decline.”said Nagelsmann. Luckily for him, Bayern are exactly the opposite.
“I believe it is fundamentally important to approach your tasks with self-confidence and conviction. We have to do exactly the same thing here.”Tah promised a form transfer to the DFB team.
In Luxembourg as in Paris
The danger of a drop in tension between the different football stages from the showdown with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and now with the world number 97. He doesn’t feel Luxembourg. “It is the duty, above all, for Germany, for its nation, to reach this level“Tah said.
Nagelsmann also sees a duty for more offensive effectiveness. Despite the victories against Luxembourg (4:0) and Northern Ireland (1:0), which massively improved the starting position for direct World Cup qualification after the false start in Slovakia (0:2), he was not satisfied with the desire factor for goals.
“A little too sluggish“that was the game,”a little too many contacts, a little too much of an addiction to control, I would say“, stated the national coach. In Luxembourg, his team should perform unleashed even without driver Kimmich.