Surprise: A Bayern star reveals he's a BVB fan | OneFootball

Curious: A Bayern star is rooting for Borussia Dortmund. He explains why he sometimes becomes a BVB fan even as a Bayern professional.

Joshua Kimmich is making headlines with an unusual statement: The midfield star of FC Bayern Munich has revealed that he sometimes roots for other teams in the Bundesliga – especially Borussia Dortmund.

In an interview with Welt am Sonntag, the 30-year-old said verbatim: "I, for example, often root for Frankfurt or Dortmund when they play."

For many fans, this may sound surprising, as Kimmich embodies the "Mia-san-Mia" spirit of FC Bayern like few other players. He is vice-captain, a key player, and the voice of Munich – on and off the pitch. It is all the more astonishing that he shows sympathy for Dortmund and Frankfurt. However, behind his words lies not a break with rivalry, but a bigger thought.

"It is important for us as a national team that they perform because there are some players who are potential candidates for us," Kimmich explained. For him, it is about the overall well-being of the German national team. "We Bayern players are currently in very good form, and the Dortmund players also seem very stable at the moment. Well-performing clubs serve as a foundation for a strong national team."

Unusually honest: Bayern star Kimmich cheers for BVB

Currently, FC Bayern is at the top of the Bundesliga table with 18 points from six games. Behind them, BVB is lurking with 14 points, while Eintracht Frankfurt is in seventh place with nine points.

National coach Julian Nagelsmann has nominated several players from these clubs for the current international phase – including five Bayern players and three professionals each from Dortmund and Frankfurt. For Kimmich, this is an important step to promote competition and quality in the German national team.

The timing of his statements is no coincidence: The national team had recently shown fluctuating performances before convincingly winning 4-0 against Luxembourg. Kimmich is already thinking ahead – up to the 2026 World Cup, for which a strong Bundesliga base is crucial.

But even though Joshua Kimmich is currently cheering, the harmony will soon end: Next weekend, FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund will face each other in the Bundesliga's top match. Then, the full rivalry between the two clubs will be back in play.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.