Joshua Kimmich says Germany not among 2026 World Cup favourites | OneFootball

Joshua Kimmich has downplayed Germany’s status for the 2026 World Cup, saying the team may not belong among the leading contenders given recent failures.

With fewer than three months to go, Germany face Switzerland on 27 March at 20:45 and Ghana on 30 March at 20:45 as tune-ups for a tournament running from 11 June to 19 July. As reported by L'ÉEquipe, the captain struck a cautious note about their chances this summer.

At a press conference, the Bayern Munich midfielder accepted that their record is not brilliant and said it is possible Germany are not among the big favourites because they have simply fallen short at recent tournaments.

Since lifting the trophy in Brazil in 2014, Germany have stumbled, finishing fourth in their group in 2018 then third in their group in 2022. Despite 106 caps, the 28-year-old has yet to feature in a World Cup knockout match.

Kimmich said past setbacks will not alter their approach, and that once the first match kicks off few will worry about what happened four or eight years ago.

He added that what matters is what they produce on the pitch, noting that even the strongest squad offers no guarantee of trophies, and that the priority is to become the best collective rather than simply have the best players.

Source: L'Équipe