Captain Kimmich put fingers in the wound
05.06.2025 00:00 | 3: 01m
Captain Joshua Kimmich practices self-criticism after the semi-final defeat of the German national team in the National League semi-final against Portugal.
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Yahjoki not a nice anniversary game the hundred, although it. Actually, I find it very well started in the first half, but I took the lead. And what happened then?
Yes, honestly, I didn’t think the first half was not very good. It was a game of both teams from both teams. A lot of mistakes on both sides, too many on our side, too little activity against the ball. And in the second half we continued. Although one to zero took the lead, our game was not really good. Did a tick have become more passive afterwards and have not even managed to come back into the game?
National coach just spoke to it. I had the feeling that a little bit of a few players lacked the necessary greed, balom or the last use. Do you have an explanation for why this happened?
Yes, it was also my feeling that as a team we already lacked this last will to go to the limit. We then had too many boys who weren’t at 100 %. And then it will of course be difficult for us as a team to beat an opponent like Portugal if we are not active enough as a team. If we do too little against the ball and also too many mistakes with ball, then it is a performance like today.
A bit similar to the second half against Italy. You actually have a little bit under control and then it falls off a bit. This is this ripening process that the team still has to go through.
I found Italy differently, we really played an outstanding first half. And then maybe it was a bit of the mindset that we thought okay, now we can do a little less. Today I don’t know where it came from that we that we didn’t make it mentally and physically on the limit. I thought it was from the first minute, it was not that we were somehow playing outstanding 45 minutes, but that wasn’t enough for over 90 minutes.
We have a year looking forward to a hopefully successful World Cup. What is missing is these moments when the team simply has to mature, it has to get better.
Yes, we have to learn what it takes to win players at a high level. And to want to win at a high level, you have to perform at a high level. And we have to call it up for the game. Otherwise it is not enough.
Someone who is as ambitious as she is. How much does it annoy that this little title that one would have liked to have now also gained is now gone?
Yes, brutal. I learned in my career that they would not come back the chances. Opportunities are mostly unique. There are many boys in the cabin that will get one or the other chance. But especially when you are young, you may be a little underestimated how big the chances are. We stood in the semi -finals today, have led one to zero, have nevertheless left and are now in the game for third place.
Was the honor before the game still something you were happy about? Did you even know about it?
No, I didn’t know anything about it. Sure, man. You are very happy about the hundredth international. I am honestly very proud of it. I hope that one or the other game will be added.