Joshua Kimmich (27) will not travel to Amsterdam for the national soccer team’s World Cup test. National coach Hansi Flick also dispenses with the FC Bayern midfielder in the prestige duel against the Netherlands on Tuesday (8.45 p.m. / ARD).
Reason: The Bayern professional is waiting in Munich for the birth of his third child. That confirmed Hansi Flick on Monday afternoon to ARD radio.
“I told Jo Kimmich to stay at home. It’s the right decision to say it’s all useless now. Now focus on your wife. See that you can do it well together,” said Flick.
Joshua Kimmich had already missed the first week of training and the friendly international match against Israel (2-0) in Sinsheim on Saturday. On Monday, Flick caused amusement when he noted in the middle of the press conference that Kimmich was just calling him. Immediately afterwards he had a clarifying conversation with his leading player.
“He should look forward to what’s to come. He’s obviously divided because of course he wanted to play here. Of course he always wants to play international matches. Right now, the best decision we made was for him to stay at home, because he wouldn’t have had a quiet second here,” said Flick.
“Birth is simply much more important,” emphasized the 57-year-old. Kimmich is a mainstay in Flick’s plans for the World Cup in Qatar in late autumn.
also read
► DFB-Elf beats Israel 2-0
► Rüdiger against the Netherlands before the 50th international match
The 27-year-old played his last of 64 international matches in October in a 4-0 win in North Macedonia, with which the DFB-Elf had secured World Cup qualification. Kimmich missed the November games against Liechtenstein (9-0) and Armenia (4-1) because he had to leave the DFB quarters as the then unvaccinated contact person of Niklas Süle, who was infected with Corona.
The next international matches are in June with the four games in the Nations League against England, Hungary and twice Italy.