Bayern Star Disappoints on the DFB Team: Matthäus Asks a Controversial Question About Kimmich | OneFootball

The 0-1 loss to Greece continues to spark discussions about the German national team even days later. Following Jürgen Klopp’s unsuccessful home debut, Lothar Matthäus is now placing the blame primarily on the players—including Bayern star Joshua Kimmich.

In his Sky column, the all-time leader in caps for the national team asks why so many DFB stars are unable to replicate their club form on the national team.

“The Greeks defended well, but we had no answers. Barcelona and Bayern also often play against teams that sit deep. Why do our players have solutions at their clubs but not on the national team?” Matthäus wrote.

The 65-year-old sees a particularly striking discrepancy in Kimmich’s case.

Matthäus: “Why doesn’t Kimmich play the way he does in Munich?”

“Why doesn’t Joshua Kimmich play the same way for the national team as he does in Munich?” asks Matthäus, pointing out the high-caliber environment the DFB captain enjoys at the record-holding champions.

“Kimmich has world-class teammates there, such as Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Diaz. He himself has made a difference at Bayern, but not yet on the DFB national team. I definitely think he’s capable of it, though.”

Photo: IMAGO

Kimmich himself had already been quite self-critical following the loss to Greece. Among other things, the 31-year-old admitted to a costly turnover and, reflecting on his own performance, said, “But there’s room for improvement.”

Kimmich also did not dispute Bastian Schweinsteiger’s general assessment that Germany is not currently a top-tier team.

Matthäus calls on the DFB stars to step up

Matthäus, however, doesn’t see the problems as lying solely with Kimmich. The former Bayern star also specifically names Karim Adeyemi and Felix Nmecha as players who have recently failed to replicate their club-level performances for the DFB.

Matthäus partially takes the new national team coach out of the line of fire. Klopp’s style of play, he says, is “similar to that of FC Bayern.”

“He expects the same things from his players as club coaches do. That’s why I’m holding not only the national team coach accountable, but also the players. They bring quality and experience to the table, but if they don’t demonstrate those qualities, it won’t work.”

From Matthäus’s perspective, it’s first and foremost about the basics. “Running, winning tackles—those are the basic requirements. Playing intelligently and finding solutions—that’s the players’ responsibility.”

For Kimmich, the message is clear: Matthäus has no doubts about his quality. However, he expects the Bayern star to make the same impact in the DFB jersey in the future that he regularly demonstrates in Munich.