Joshua Kimmich (Germany national team)
September 2025

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich was critical of his team’s lack of courage and belief after a stunning 2-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Slovakia, admitting the result was a humiliation despite fielding a near full-strength lineup. Kimmich denied internal divisions but labelled the loss “an attitude issue,” highlighting poor conviction in key moments. Slovakia exploited defensive lapses, with David Hancko’s opener and David Strelec’s long-range strike exposing vulnerabilities in Julian Nagelsmann’s side, deepening Germany’s ongoing struggles in competitive matches.