Read 3 minutesJune 30, 2026 04:11 PM IST
Germany captain Joshua Kimmich admitted his side “fully deserved” to crash out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Monday’s shock defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32. Playing in their first World Cup in 16 years, Paraguay – 22 places below Germany in the FIFA men’s rankings – won 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 after extra time.
Apart from a 7-1 win over Curacao in their campaign opener, Germany did little to suggest the four-time world champions at the tournament. Deniz Undau scored a last-minute goal to win over Ivory Coast, while Ecuador beat Julian Nagelsmann’s side 2-1. The shortcomings of the Pargavi team once again came to the fore and on this occasion proved to be fatal.
Speaking in the media zone after the match, Kimmich agreed that Germany deserved to make it out of the round of 32. “It feels terrible. We haven’t played well against any opponent. Three times we have had big problems against teams that are not world-class. That is a fact. We fully deserved to go out,” he said.
“It’s a real shame, especially at a time when it would do us a lot of good to have something we can be proud of in Germany. Unfortunately, the national team is not like that at the moment, and we all share the responsibility. We have to take responsibility – nobody can absolve themselves from it. We have to take it, because we, the players on the pitch, that’s who I am,” he further admitted.
At 31, Kimmich has faced speculation over his future with the German team. The Bayern Munich midfielder, however, has dismissed any suggestion of retirement and confirmed he will continue to represent Julian Nagelsmann’s side, focusing on the 2030 World Cup.
“I will always have the determination to try one more time. I will never give up. I grew up watching the national team on television in Germany, and it would always be the semi-final or the final. Of course, you want to give the same experience to today’s kids, people and this generation. The fact is, we couldn’t give people back home,” he said.