Lahm Weighs In: Should Kimmich Return to Midfield for the World Cup? | OneFootball

Bayern star Joshua Kimmich has been shuttling back and forth between the right-back position and midfield for the national team in recent years. Now, more and more voices are calling for him to return to the center of the field. 

There are several reasons for this. On the one hand, Kimmich himself didn’t look particularly strong on the right side on several occasions during the 2026 World Cup—especially against Yan Diomande—and on the other hand, Aleksandar Pavlovic is not in top form right now and appears vulnerable.

After the group stage, the German team now faces Paraguay in the knockout round. And after record-holding national team player Lothar Matthäus recently called for Kimmich to be moved to midfield, Philipp Lahm, a 2014 World Cup champion, has now added his voice to the chorus.

Lahm wants to see Kimmich in midfield

In a guest column for *kicker* , Lahm took a closer look at the German team’s current status. He definitely believes the team can beat Paraguay, but says that for them to have a very good World Cup overall, a few things still need to change.

Photo: IMAGO

“Aleksandar Pavlovic hasn’t really impressed in this tournament yet; I’ve noticed an incredible number of careless turnovers. He isn’t positioned optimally on the field. That’s why I see Joshua Kimmich in midfield,” said Lahm, further fueling the debate.

Lahm went on to explain: “He would give the team stability, and his strengths would come to the fore much more clearly. He can support the defense just as much as he can support the attack with his long passes. Felix Nmecha is currently a better fit alongside him. That’s why Pavlović should be dropped from the starting lineup.”

Lahm also recommended starting Dortmund’s Waldemar Anton at right back to generate even more defensive stability.

The key point, however, is that national team coach Julian Nagelsmann sees the situation surrounding Kimmich differently. He already announced after the match against Ecuador (1–2) that making such a change was not part of the plan.