Sun | Sep 15, 2024

Kimmich appointed Germany’s captain after senior players retire

Published:Tuesday | September 3, 2024 | 12:12 AM
Germany’s players, from left: Robert Andrich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Joshua Kimmich, Pascal Groß, Rocco Reitz, Thomas Müller, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Maximilian Beier warm up in a training session in Herzogenaurach, Germany on June 1.
AP
Germany’s players, from left: Robert Andrich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Joshua Kimmich, Pascal Groß, Rocco Reitz, Thomas Müller, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Maximilian Beier warm up in a training session in Herzogenaurach, Germany on June 1.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP):

Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich was appointed captain of Germany’s national team on Monday after his predecessor Ilkay Gündogan was among a string of senior players to retire from international duty after Euro 2024.

Kimmich will be backed up by two vice-captains, Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger and Arsenal forward Kai Havertz, when he takes up the captaincy for upcoming Nations League games against Hungary on Saturday and the Netherlands on September 10.

The 29-year-old Kimmich hasn’t been the permanent captain for Bayern or the national team before, but he has often stepped into the role when other players have been injured or unavailable. He last started a Germany game as captain in friendlies last year.

The German football federation said yesterday that Kimmich had worn the captain’s armband 17 times in a career spanning 91 international games. That total appeared to include games in which Kimmich took over the captaincy when another player was substituted.

Gündogan was named captain by then-coach Hansi Flick last year ahead of Germany hosting 2024, when the team reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Spain. He retired from international duty last month ahead of a return from Barcelona to Manchester City.

Other players who have retired from the national team since Euro 2024 include goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and forward Thomas Müller, both teammates of Kimmich at Bayern. Midfielder Toni Kroos retired from all soccer following the tournament.

Despite the high-profile retirements, Nagelsmann has named a squad with only one uncapped player for the Nations League, saying there had been “enough changes”.

Also yesterday, Nagelsmann confirmed he sees Barcelona’s Marc-André ter Stegen as Germany’s new starting goalkeeper in place of Neuer as Germany plans for the 2026 World Cup. That decision was widely expected after ter Stegen spent much of his international career so far as Neuer’s backup.