Germany enters the 2026 Men’s World Cup as something of a darkhorse: a strong contender full of justified self-belief given its spirited performance at EURO 2024, yet also a wounded giant carrying the ignominy of two consecutive World Cup group stage exits in 2018 and 2022.
It has been a long time since Russia and Qatar, though, and team captain Joshua Kimmich — who was there through all those bitter failures — senses a different atmosphere.
“Now you’re sitting in the dressing room, and there’s a team
there,” Kimmich said in his tournament preview interview for Sports Illustrated, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “In the past, I sometimes had the feeling that some players went to the national team and only cared about themselves. Right now, I feel that it’s really important to each and every one of them that we’re successful as a team.
“Being part of the national team is no longer a given; it’s something special. And that’s how it should be.”
Germany climbed the summit in Brazil in 2014 and has since learned just how hard it is to stay at the top. Could this be the year the powerhouse strikes back?
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- New, improved notifications system!
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
