After Qatar and Russia: Kimmich makes clear World Cup announcement for 2026 | OneFootball

Bayern star Joshua Kimmich explains what the DFB squad still needs for a strong 2026 World Cup feeling – and why he is optimistic

The countdown is on – even if it still feels agonizingly slow for Julian Nagelsmann at the moment. The national coach can only gather his national team in Herzogenaurach again at the end of March to begin preparations for the 2026 World Cup. But while the coach is planning, analysing and weighing things up, Joshua Kimmich has long been in World Cup mode. The DFB captain has a clear idea of what needs to happen for Germany not to disappoint again after the bitter preliminary round exits at the 2018 and 2022 tournaments

With Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire and Ecuador, a group awaits that is solvable on paper, but should not be underestimated under any circumstances. Kimmich leaves no doubt: „We want to, must and will get through the group stage.“ For the 30-year-old, this is more than just optimism – it is a self-commitment

Returning players, rhythm and the right feeling

photo: IMAGO

For Kimmich, the key to a successful start to the tournament lies above all in one thing: availability. „The most important thing for us as a team in the first step is to get all the injured players back on board,“ the Bayern professional emphasised in an interview with dpa. Names such as Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Marc-André ter Stegen were missing for large parts of the qualifiers, as was Antonio Rüdiger at times. Their return should not only give the team quality, but also stability

At the same time, new faces have come into focus. Players such as Nick Woltemade and Lennart Karl are symbolic of a fresh impetus that Nagelsmann must now embed into a functioning overall structure. For Kimmich, it is clear that it is not just results that count. The way the team performs is also crucial. „We have to be able to identify with the way we play soccer together,“ he says – and demands a clear commitment from everyone involved

Kimmich’s responsibility and Nagelsmann’s construction sites

This is the first time Kimmich will be captain at a World Cup. He feels no pressure, on the contrary. „I feel proud,“ he says of his role. For him, the position means above all responsibility for the big picture – both in sporting and personal terms. It is precisely this attitude that should help to turn many individual players into a real tournament team again

Nagelsmann is faced with a number of unanswered questions. The goalkeeper issue in particular remains sensitive. Ter Stegen’s situation at FC Barcelona is complicated, Oliver Baumann has recommended himself as a reliable alternative and Manuel Neuer’s comeback is still not an issue. Not all roles have been clearly allocated in defence and offence either

Nevertheless, Kimmich is looking ahead with confidence. He is not interested in the world rankings or the big names of the competition. „We’re looking at ourselves,“ he clarifies. The experience of the Club World Cup in the USA could help him to adapt to climatic and logistical peculiarities at an early stage

For Kimmich, one thing is clear: if health, playing spirit and team unity come together, Germany will be more than just a participant in 2026. Then it will finally be a tournament worthy of the name again.