Kimmich: Germany Not Considered 'Top Favorites' for World Cup Following Past Disappointments

Following two consecutive eliminations at the group stage of the World Cup, German midfielder Joshua Kimmich has expressed his view that the national team is not considered a top contender for this summer's tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Captain Joshua Kimmich stated that Germany is unlikely to be regarded as one of the primary favorites to clinch the World Cup trophy later in the year.

Kimmich, aged 31, attributes this perception to Germany's disappointing performances in the last two World Cups (2018 and 2022), where they failed to progress beyond the group stage, which he feels has significantly impacted their standing ahead of the upcoming tournament.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Kimmich elaborated, stating, "We are not among the top favourites because we haven't performed to expectations in recent competitions."

Despite this assessment, he emphasized that the squad should not be disheartened by their previous World Cup outcomes.

Kimmich urged his teammates to look forward, asserting that "when it starts, nobody cares anymore what happened four or eight years ago," and underlined his expectation of absolute dedication from everyone.

He further added, "I expect everyone to fully commit to the collective goal and give 100 percent."

Highlighting the importance of team cohesion and fitness, Kimmich concluded, "We depend on everyone being healthy, ready, and getting into good form. The most important thing is that we have all players on board. We have the chance to grow even closer together."

In the group stage, Germany is scheduled to compete against Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ecuador.

Presently, their immediate attention is directed towards the forthcoming friendly matches against Switzerland and Ghana.