DFB trainer plan
Nagelsmann has probably committed himself to Kimmich’s World Cup position
07/30/2025 – 6:19 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The World Cup will take place next year. National coach Julian Nagelsmann is already in the planning – and is determined by Joshua Kimmich.
Julian Nagelsmann is planning again in the central midfield in the German national team with Joshua Kimmich. At the international coaching congress in Leipzig, the national coach confirmed that the captain should return to his traditional position.
“Standing now he returns to the six,” said Nagelsmann. He cited the short time until the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. You “just don’t have the option to test too much in this position”. Kimmich counts with the few players who play regularly in the club on the six – he is set there at Bayern.
In the national team, Kimmich had recently acted primarily as a right-back, including at home European Championships 2024. Now Nagelsmann no longer wants to do any experiments in the central midfield. “In the heart” of the game, the game rhythm is crucial – so only a suitable partner is being sought on Kimmich’s side. For many other candidates in this position, the risk of lack of game practice is too high.
In addition, Nagelsmann emphasized that Kimmich could “take more influence at the headquarters” and fit well with the planned structure. According to the national coach, young players also focus on the defensive outer lane. Among other things, Nathaniel Brown, Namdi Collins and Max Rosenfelder, who drew attention to the U21 European Championship, were mentioned.
In addition, he could imagine reorganizing offensive players for the full -back position. Germany “doesn’t have a great many offensive players who feel comfortable when they blow up the line up and down,” said in the last line, “said Nagelsmann.
Until the World Cup finals, four test games remain in March and June after qualifying with six games against Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.