Should Joshua Kimmich Play Right-Back or in the Middle? A Big Soccer Debate Explained Simply

What’s Going On?

Imagine you have a friend who’s really, really good at one video game character — but someone keeps making them use a totally different character instead. That’s basically what’s happening with a famous German soccer player named Joshua Kimmich.

Joshua Kimmich is the captain of the Germany national team. When he plays for his club team (Bayern Munich), he plays in the middle of the field (called "central midfield"). And he’s amazing there! Many people think he’s one of the best players in the world in that position.

But when he plays for his country, the coach — Julian Nagelsmann — has been putting him at right-back. That’s a defensive position on the sideline. Think of it like moving a superstar chef from cooking the main dish to guarding the restaurant door.

Who Is Lothar Matthäus and What Did He Say?

Lothar Matthäus is a German soccer legend — one of the most famous players Germany has ever had. He won the World Cup and is considered an all-around icon of the sport.

Matthäus had some very strong opinions about Kimmich’s position. Here’s what he said (in simpler terms):

• Kimmich doesn’t look the same when he plays at right-back.
• At Bayern Munich, he’s absolute world-class.
• But at right-back, he doesn’t seem to lead the team like he should as captain.
• Matthäus said: "Do him a favor and get him out of the backline."

Basically, Matthäus thinks the coach is hurting Kimmich — and the team — by playing him in the wrong spot.

Why Does the Position Matter So Much?

Here’s the thing: where a player stands on the field changes how much they can influence the game.

When Kimmich Plays in Central Midfield

• He controls the speed and rhythm of the game (like a conductor in an orchestra).
• He presses aggressively to win the ball back from opponents.
• He makes great passes all over the field to set up scoring chances.
• His leadership is obvious — teammates look to him more.
• He’s basically the engine that makes everything run.

When Kimmich Plays at Right-Back

• He’s stuck near the sideline doing mostly defensive work.
• He’s dependable — he does his job fine.
• But he can’t control the game the way he can from the middle.
• His passing, passing range, and influence are limited.
• Germany loses one of the world’s best orchestrators in the process.

Important Point: Kimmich isn’t bad at right-back — he’s just better somewhere else. And Germany might need that "somewhere else" version to succeed.

Why Did Nagelsmann Put Him at Right-Back?

Nagelsmann (Germany’s coach) had a practical reason: Germany has a defensive need at right-back. They don’t have another player quite as good in that spot. So moving Kimmich there seemed like a logical solution — at first.

But here’s the catch: this creates a trade-off.

What Does This Mean Going Forward?

As Germany faces tougher opponents in the knockout stages of the tournament, the pressure gets higher. These are the games where you need your best players doing what they do best.

Matthäus believes the answer is simple:

Move Joshua Kimmich back into central midfield right away! Let him do what makes him world-class!

Let’s Summarize Simply

Here’s the whole article broken down:

1. Joshua Kimmich is Germany’s captain and normally plays in central midfield.
2. Coach Julian Nagelsmann has been playing him at right-back instead.
3. Soccer legend Lothar Matthäus says this is a bad idea.
4. Matthäus thinks Kimmich looks lost at right-back and isn’t leading like a captain should.
5. At right-back, he’s still decent, but his biggest strengths — passing, controlling the game, leadership — are wasted.
6. In midfield, Kimmich is one of the best in the world and makes his team far better.
7. Nagelsmann made the switch because Germany needs help in defense, but it costs them creativity in the middle.
8. Matthäus wants Nagelsmann to move Kimmich back to midfield before it’s too late.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Joshua Kimmich actually a bad player at right-back?
No! He’s still dependable and does his job okay. The issue is that he’s extraordinary in central midfield, so playing him at right-back feels like a big waste of his talent.

Q: Has anyone else agreed with Matthäus’s criticism?
Yes! A lot of Bayern Munich supporters and soccer fans noticed the same thing — Kimmich just doesn’t seem as impactful or confident when playing out wide.

Q: Why doesn’t Nagelsmann just move him to midfield if everyone thinks he should?
It comes down to numbers. Germany doesn’t have an obvious great natural right-back, so Nagelsmann tried to solve that problem by moving Kimmich there. But the question is whether losing midfield control is worth the trade.

Q: Is Kimmich the captain of Germany?
Yes! Kimmich is the captain of the German national team, which makes his leadership and influence even more important.

Q: Where did Matthäus share his opinion?
He told the German newspaper Bild, and his comments were also picked up by the sports website Goal.com.

So what do YOU think? Should Nagelsmann move Kimmich back to midfield, or is the team better off keeping him at right-back? The debate continues!