Kimmich: Germany s momentum is very good, but if it loses four games in a row, the atmosphere will be different. I am looking forward to the Club World Cup

Kimmich talked about the German national team, Naglesmann and his own mental journey in an interview with "Kickers".

Talking about the upcoming 100th national team match, "100 international matches are obviously an official milestone, which is very special to me. Especially when looking back at my starting point, I am very proud of it, and I think I have a good reason to be proud. Because these 100 games show that I have been at a high level for the past nine years and have been in good health and in good shape."

Which moments in your national team career are the most decisive?

"There are a lot, especially in the early stages. We performed very well in the 2016 Euro Cup and then won the Federation Cup the following year. But the period after that was of course negative, from the 2018 World Cup to last March. Those six years were actually worse than usual."

"From 2006 to 2016, Germany reached the semi-finals in every major. We haven't reached the semi-finals again since 2018, so now things are moving in the right direction. But that doesn't guarantee that we can reach the semi-finals in the World Cup. We see in the European Cup that advancement depends on many factors."

In the Qatar World Cup, you talk about the fear of becoming a failure generation. Considering that we have only lost one game in the last 15 months and 17 games, does it give us hope for success?

"Hope this word may not be appropriate, but it does give us new confidence. The preparation for the competition does not start two weeks before the start, but through the national league and the qualifiers throughout the process. Our preparation journey has never been smooth in recent years."

How do you evaluate the past 15 months?

"Especially in the national team, you need to rely on a framework and team to build it up a year and a half before the competition. I'm now observing this situation. After the European Cup, I was worried that we needed to completely rebuild the framework and team structure because we lost four important players, Mueller, Neuer, Gundogan and Kroos. In the long run, they shape the team. But after stabilizing, some of the subsequent international games were even better than they did in the European Cup."

Under Nagelsmann, the national team once again became a whole that was recognized by the fans. How do you view this and how it is implemented?

"Success in sports is the foundation. If we lose four games in a row, the atmosphere will change quickly. You mentioned that we only lost one of 17 games, which will naturally make people in the country feel better and the connection between fans and teams is more positive. You will be considered more intimate, although you may not have changed your behavior to fans."

Are you surprised that Nagelsmann likes the work of a national team coach so much?

"He actually renewed his contract, which may have been something that many people did not expect at the beginning. Of course, I didn't expect it either. Of course, he got this unique opportunity before the local European Cup. Even as a coach, such highlights will not be experienced twice. But he has renewed his contract until the 2028 European Cup, which in my opinion further emphasizes the importance and significance of the national team."

Has Nagelsmann changed after leaving Bayern?

"I think his experience at Bayern has shaped him, especially the surroundings. In Hoffenheim and Leipzig, he has a calmer environment and more time to develop and implement his ideas. He has a lot of young players there willing to absorb everything and show it on the court. At Bayern, the standards are different, including in the media. Everything is questioned when things don't go well. I think he has come to the conclusions and evaluates these things better. When the national team encounters its first setback in November 2023, he keeps calm, analyzes the problems, draws conclusions and puts it into action. We all benefit from it."

Do you think Bayern should support Nagelsmann more?

"The support of the club helps both the players and the coaches. But we know how difficult it is to manage everything at Bayern. In my ten years at Bayern, we won the league nine times - and now I have gone through eight coaches. That's the essence of the business. Both internal and external expectations are very high. Just like the national team."

Naglesmann appointed you as captain. Is this very important to you?

"As a kid, you dream of playing for the German team. You wouldn't think of being a captain - nor working on it. To me, what matters is that we are not only successful, but we are really a team. But since becoming captain, I feel that this role is special. The responsibility is not limited to the court. It makes me very proud, and I think it is a huge honor to be a captain of the national team."

Which is more important to you, the Club World Cup or the European League?

Kimmich: "I don't want to compare clubs and national teams. I'm positive about the National League, but I'm really looking forward to the Club World Cup. I'm very excited about it and have been wondering why such a game has started to appear."