In order to become world champions, more than tricks and goals, for example order: national coach Julian Nagelsmann introduces his plan. Captain Joshua Kimmich plays a central role in this.
The evening before the first World Cup qualification game of the German national team, the national coach Julian Nagelsmann and his captain Joshua Kimmich took a seat side by side, there were microphones in front of them, and there was a large advertising wall behind them. They have not been sitting for long, just seconds when one of these small cardboard displays in front of them, who always stand somewhere between the microphone and water bottle at press conferences in football.
Kimmich looked there, then away again. Nagelsmann also hesitated at first, then promoted the cardboard display back to his original position, careful, but determined. Order must be.
On Thursday evening (04.09.2025, from 8:15 p.m. in the livestream, in the audio stream and in the live ticker), Germany will compete in Bratislava against Slovakia, it is the start of Nagelsmann’s team in a World Cup qualification, during which games are also due to Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. There are small steps on the way to the big goal that Nagelsmann, 38, now outlined again.
He did not speak of a successful qualification, he was concerned with the World Cup title. A life without goals is not worth striving for, said Nagelsmann. “That’s why I find it healthy to have goals.” In this case the goal is the title.
Nagelsmann’s title plan – order must be
Most recently, the German team had not played like a future world champion, the final tournament of the Nations League with defeats against Portugal and France was a disappointment. Nagelsmann then withdrew with his coaching team to a hut in the Allgäu. They had not come to enjoy the landscape, the valleys and the mountains that Nagelsmann likes. They talked about football.
The national coach summarized a knowledge of this closed conference a few days ago. He said: “We have to adapt a few things. We will have a different structure, defensive and offensive.”
Kimmich: “The coach’s decision where I can help”
The work of the man will be decisive for the new order in the game of the German national team, who, on the evening before the game against Slovakia, registered with a smile how his boss brought the cardboard display back into position. For Kimmich, 30, the national coach has planned a new, old position: recently he had played right -back, now he should be used again in the “six position”. It is probably the most important position in modern football, for Nagelsmann it is that “The heart” of every team.
Of course, Kimmich was sometimes spoken to the center of his restoration, which is also an award. In the sports show interview, he said that the position was “irrelevant” for him, it is only important that he played. Later, when the national coach was sitting next to him, Kimmich said that he already believes that he could bring his strengths a little better in midfield. Ultimately, however, he only tries to meet the trainer’s expectations. He said: “In the end it is his decision where I can help.”
Kimmich’s debut against Slovakia – from the “kicker” there was a five minus
Nine years ago, three months and five days, such decisions were made by Joachim Löw, then national coach. Löw found that Kimmich could help the team well in his debut as a defender in a triple chain. Germany lost 1: 3, the opponent was Slovakia.
“The place was hardly playable”Kimmich said when he was asked about his memories of this evening in Augsburg. It was raining, at some point the game was interrupted, only after half an hour it continued. Kimmich also said to remember that his opponent had scored two goals, but that was not true. He met once. Otherwise he was not wrong. He even remembered his “kicker” grade: five minus.
The national coach Nagelsmann would certainly not mind if it went differently this time. If his captain would not have to be annoyed by bad grades after the game. If he would provide structure instead, for order. Kimmich could orientate himself on his trainer on this point. The cardboard display did not fell again. He was also in place at the end of the press conference, somewhere between the microphone and water bottle.