Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich knows that to get German national team fans to fully buy back into the squad, winning will be paramount.
“Sporting success is the foundation. This naturally creates a better feeling among the people in the country, and the connection between fans and team is positively charged. You’re perceived as more approachable, even though you may not have changed your behavior toward the fans at all,” Kimmich told kicker journalist Frank Linkesch (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Kimmich think that head coach Julian Nagelsmann has helped get the team back on track and is the right coach to lead the team into several key tourneys in the near future.
“He’s actually extended his contract, something perhaps not everyone would have expected at the beginning. I certainly didn’t. Of course, he had the unique opportunity to take on this position before a home European Championship. Even as a coach, you probably won’t experience such a highlight twice. But the fact that Julian has already extended until EURO 2028 only underscores, in my opinion, the importance and significance of the national team,” said Kimmich. “I think his time at Bayern shaped him, especially the surrounding circumstances. In Hoffenheim and Leipzig, he had a calmer environment and more time to develop and implement his ideas. He had many young players there who wanted to absorb everything and bring it to life on the pitch. At FC Bayern, the standards are different, including in the media. When things aren’t going well, everything is quickly questioned. I think he’s drawn his conclusions and is better able to assess these things. When the national team suffered the first setbacks in November 2023, he remained composed, analyzed them, drew conclusions, and then followed through. We were all rewarded for that.”
When thinking back about Nagelsmann’s time with Bayern Munich, Kimmich is not sure anything could have prevented the separation between the two parties.
“It helps everyone, players and coaches alike, when the club supports them. But we know how difficult it is to manage and control everything at FC Bayern. We’ve won the league nine times in my ten years at FC Bayern – and now I’m on my eighth coach. That’s the way it is in business. Expectations are very high, both internally and externally. Just like with the national team,” said Kimmich.